The Last Outlaw

Plot synopsis:
When the war ends, the cavalry unit commanded by Graff makes the decision to stay together, and turn outlaw. They begin committing bank robberies, and are successful due to their experience and tactics. Local citizens and lawmen are no match for them. However, when a robbery goes horribly wrong, resulting in the unit being shot up badly, with Loomis (Quinn) badly wounded, they find themselves pursued by Marshal Sharp, who is respected and feared, as well as being diligent and honest and extremely capable.
Graff makes the command decision to kill the injured Loomis so that he won't delay their escape. Eustis objects, and when Graff slaps Eustis then moves to shoot Loomis, Eustis instead shoots Graff. Graff falls out of his saddle and rolls down a hillside, and thinking he is dead, Eustis now takes command and leads the band toward Mexico, with the posse still in pursuit. Potts (Levine) initially challenges Eustis as a commander, but Eustis beats him in a fist fight.
Marshal Sharp and his posse come upon the slightly wounded Graff, and take him prisoner. With Graff in chains, the posse continues their pursuit. Eustis sets up an ambush and several posse members are killed. During the chaos Graff kills Marshal Sharp. Now leaderless, the posse decides to return home, but banker McClintock demands they continue the chase. Graff makes the posse members an offer of part of the loot taken by his former gang, if they help him track them down. They accept this more generous offer. With Graff now leading the posse, the posse sets up an ambush. Graff shoots and kills Philo (Buscemi) and wounds Loomis, then shoots parts of Loomis' body off, until Eustis shoots and kills Loomis to put him out of his misery.
When posse members attempt to cut off Philo's trigger finger as a trophy, Graff tells them he will kill them if they do, as Philo was one of "his men", showing that he respected and cared for his former soldiers. Later, Graff encounters members of the gang, almost like a ghost, keeping them nervous and frightened. Wills (McGinley) steals the stolen money and leaves it in front of the posse, hoping they will stop the chase. Graff kills McClintock, throwing his body and the money off a cliff. He stages a shootout with the outlaws, and tells the posse it had been a trap.
Wills loses his horse, and Eustis decides it is necessary to leave him behind. On foot, Wills waits for the posse, killing a couple of them before being killed.
Lovecraft encounters Graff, who gives him extra ammunition and tells him he'll be spared if he kills Eustis. When Eustis gives Lovecraft ammunition to fill his pistol, he finds that Lovecraft already has a full chamber. Eustis, knowing that Lovecraft did not have a full six rounds left, realizes that Lovecraft has betrayed him. However, when Eustis presses for Lovecraft to do what Graff sent him to do, Lovecraft is overwhelmed with fear and guilt, and commits suicide.
There are only two gang members left, Eustis and Potts. They make for the Rio Grande, but Potts is shot through the gut by Graff. With Potts dead, Eustis, now alone, makes a final stand against the posse. He kills all of them except for Graff. The two draw, and Eustis is faster, but his gun is empty. As Graff approaches, Eustis shoots him with a pocket derringer, which Graff hadn't counted on. Eustis crosses into Mexico, the last outlaw.

Tags: revenge, violence

Review:
For a modern Western movie this is very decent, considering we're talking a TV movie here this is very much above average.
I really have a hard time understanding why this movie's rating isn't much higher as 5,7.
Sure, this is no 'Unforgiven' or 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly', but i don't think it pretends to be.
This is just a fast-paced, violent action flick, which 'borrows' some elements from famous westerns and well, it works!
I've seen this movie more then once, and it caught my full attention each and every time.
As mentioned in a lot of these reviews Mickey Rourke is really great here.
But the character I like most in this movie is Potts, played by Ted Levine.
If you want to see a fun adventurous western movie i really recommend this one..
The Last Outlaw might have seemed like a throw-away effort back in those days as many of us were still mesmerized by the character-driven epic Unforgiven.
The films these men are associated with often rely on action and violence to get their message through.
A posse of desperadoes, this one led by Mickey Rourke, rides brazenly into a small town with the intent of robbing a bank.
And just like in The Wild Bunch, there is a group of men ready and waiting for them.
Tensions between leader Rourke and his lieutenant Dermot Mulroney quickly boil over about leaving a wounded man behind.
The rest of the film details the remaining gang members' attempt to flee to Mexico with a posse from the town hot on their trail.
Dozens of gunshot victims from both sides are soon strewn across the New Mexico countryside.The film has a lot going for it.
The cast is uncommonly talented for such a film simply made for cable.
Mulroney has never impressed me as an actor, but he sure looks like real a cowboy.Great support from Ted Levine, John C.
This angle is likely inspired from Eastwood's Josey Wales character, though it is common knowledge that many of the Confederacy's more violent types headed west after the war since there was nothing left for them back home.The film has some flaws, as it is not a true classic of the genre.
Mickey Rourke's character is menacing in an almost mystical way.
What is not so good is that one must suspend disbelief, when the posse makes Mickey Rourke their new leader, when men seem to take endless bloody gunshots with little effect, and the distracting, out of place use of four letter words.
I consider "The Last Outlaw" to be a slightly above average western.
The Last OutlawI don't think they could have got a better cast if they tried, you just have to look at the stars in this film to show that, Mickey Rourke, Steve Buscemi, Ted Levine, Keith David, John C.
McKinley  and the wasted Dermot Mulrony who a lot of western fans will remember him for one of his early roles as Dirty Steve in Young Guns.
I saw this when it came out on video in the mid nineties and films that went straight to video back in the nineties were great like Surviving the Game, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man etc and the Last outlaw was the same.
The beginning of the film is a blatantly obvious homage to the beginning of Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch where they rob the bank and the town's sheriff and his men are waiting for them to have a huge gun battle.
But the film really starts when Dermot Mulrony shoot's the leader of the pack  Graff (Mickey Rourke) for trying to execute one of there men and that's when the films suddenly becomes a revenge story.
Of course Graff survives and is picked up by the posse hunting them down and instead and giving himself up he ends up offering the posse to actually be there leader and hunt down his own men for leaving his for dead.
From there it's like a cat and mouse western which doesn't stop till the end credits and it really delves into the story of leadership.
You have fine performances here from Mickey Rourke as the sadistic Graff but the films goes to Dermot Mulrony as the desperate Eustos who battles with thought of whether what he did was right as his men are picked off one by one.
This film ain't no Good the Bad and the Ugly but it definitely bests any John Wayne film ever made (I'm an obvious John Wayne Hater)..
The film is worth watching..
The only thing I can say if you like this movie it'll become one of your most favorite films.
If you don't like this movie you'll consider it to be one of the worst films in the world and you'll find fault with it.
Another points of view don't exist.As for me I think the main in `The Last Outlaw' is the glorious play of Mickey Rourke as colonel Graff.
I like to watch his play between life and death, I like to look at his face and dark eyes and learn to control the events as he, though I disapprove his choice of murderous way.I wish those of you who hasn't watched this movie yet to see it without fail.
And I wish those of you who's already watched this movie but hasn't understood it to see it time and again.
This is absolutely one of my favorit western movies.
In the lead role you'll find Mickey Rourke as Graff,and he was like made for this kind of movie.He is the perfect bad guy.
The movie has also other famous actors like John C.
McGinley and Steve Buscemi,but no one can match the incredible Mickey Rourke.The story is about a gang of bank robbers in the wild west and after a while the gang starts to get tired of their leader Graff and decides to shot him after a job and leave him to die.Unnfortunantly for them Graff survives and are forced by the sherif and his menn to help to hunt down the gang.But no one knows that Graff has a plan of his own,to kill everybody and take off with the money.This movie has a real western feel to it and all the actors play their role great..
When I first saw this movie I thought "what is Mickey Rourke doing making himself look slightly homosexual as a cowboy outlaw"!!?
As I watched the movie though, it didn't matter how he looked, he was deadly.
I thought that the entire cast was great in their own parts, but once again, as with every movie he is in, Mickey Rourke stood out.
It was back in the day, when I chanced upon watching "Rumble Fish", with Matt Dillon, Dennis Hopper, and (my then personal favorite), William Smith, that I noticed the Motorcycle Boy. He stole that movie, no problem.
From then on out, it was because of Mickey Rourke that I watched any movie he was listed in.
Hidden Gem. Having never been the biggest Mickey Rourke fan and not entirely entirely familiar with Dermot Mulroney's work, i was skeptical about watching this movie.
The only complaint I have about this movie was Mickey Rourke's mustache (damn!
what where they thinking?) The tension never really lets up throughout the movie.
After a daring bank robbery the gang turns on their leader (rourke) and heads for Mexico, never quite sure if the posse is on their trail or not, and not quite sure of their new leader (mulroney.) To call this movie a "thriller" would go to far but if there was ever a "western-thriller-type-movie" then this is it.
The whole movie has a very dark overcast, very well put together, and very well written.P.S. anybody seen THE WILD BUNCH lately?.
Enjoyed the movie but was distracted everytime Mickey Rourke was on the screen.
Not to be insulting but his character in this movie resembled 1980s pop music performers from androgynous pop and rock music bands.
Mickey Rourke phones in a role as a cartoonish villain with distracting eyeliner.
What's with Mickey Rourke?
This movie had so much potential with the great character actors in it.
The movie has quite enough action, but the story is excellent.
How the leader of the gang, chasing his men killing 'em one by each, without a regret.
For role to be better, that's why Mickey Rourke is here, and the other outlaws are played by quite good and known actors, and music is well cared off.
In this movie I saw at least 10 actors whom I've seen in other movies, (6 of whom I also knew by name) and my memories of most of them were pretty good..
when I read the cast-list for this movie I thought: "WOW, MAN!...this ROCKS!" - so I decided to see this so-called "Exciting Western"...
a handful of cliché-lines, and a bullet in the head (or some other place where blood can spurt out in a ghastly way).Well, Mickey Rourke did a nice enough job...he portrayed this heinous criminal very well, and did all he could do with this ridiculous script..Dermot Mulroney did a much better job in "Young Guns", but was somewhat believable in this role too...very sympathetic guy.
Keith David, a cool guy, but not such a lovely character....I didn't understand what the hell happened to him...
McGinley, I've always liked this guy...but he doesn't make sense in this movie either..
the sheriff, the banker, the possé, EVERYONE gets it...except...well, you figure it out for yourself.But in some sense, I still liked it, because of the great locations, and some good scenes (where people die, of course)...
They probably won't make a sequel to this, but a PREQUEL would certainly kick more ass than this did!..a movie where the gang of these intriguing characters go berserk and raid banks and stuff, and how we get to see their development, etc.I give this 5/10, because....well, because I liked the cast, and gore is always somewhat entertaining..
It's a bad film I've ever seen !!!!!!!What happened with Mickey ?
And I think Mickey is a real Devil & Dermot Mulroney is not a leader,I want to say he did the wrong thing.
If he's good leader,people should 100% trust him,but some of them want to kill him for living.
Best made-for-TV movie ever?.
For a long time - since I first saw it way back when - I thought Steven Spielberg's "Duel" the best made-for-TV movie ever.
But it is well supported by a generally tight and able script and direction and great performances by all the actors involved.This is a taught "thriller" Western, rather than a rehash of old conventions.
The film opens with nods of respect to "The Wild Bunch" and Hill's "The Long Riders," but then establishes itself as its own study in the demoralization of men of violence.
There is no right or wrong in this story, in the last analysis, only the struggle for survival, and a final contest between two strong men.A brutal yet thoughtful presentation of such a struggle, leaving some questions to the audience for answer; but again, the highest marks go to the cinematography, and the editing that enhances it.
This film is not too bad, but the most annoying things about it are:Mickey Rourke's makeup and wardrobe.
Still, Rourke and Mulroney are good in their roles and fun to watch.
Let's face it....Rourke is the quintessential bad guy!.
Not having seen a western for some years (except of course John Wayne)I found this to be a refreshing change from the white and black stetsons.
Great Western Movie.
This movie was excellent not for it's historical accuracy but for an entertaining experience with good acting by all.
The film established itself as its own study in the demoralization of men of violence.
There is no right or wrong in this story, in the last analysis, only the struggle for survival, and a final contest between two strong men.
This is a gorgeous film, visually, despite its troubling content.This movie is Enjoyable and i would encourage others to watch it too..
The Last Outlaw is a revenge themed western written by Eric Red, and if you're at all familiar with his other works (he also penned The Hitcher and Near Dark), you'll have some idea of how bloody and intense it is.
The film opens with a daring bank robbery, executed by former civil war Colonel Graff (Mickey Rourke), and his brutal gang.
Rourke is an implosive, grade A dickhead as Graff, a man less concerned with the fruits of his labor and more driven by the desire to exact violent retribution.
The supporting cast is just epic, with work from Steve Buscemi, Ted Levine, Paul Ben Victor, Richard Fancy, John C.
One of my all time favorite western movie..
The Last Outlaw, definitely one of my all time favorite western movie.
This great production was make possible by the filmmaker of the original The Hitcher.It's was those day when HBO make incredible TV movies with amazing cast members.
In this case with Mickey Rourke the star of The Wrestler and Dermot Mulroney who work on My Best Friend's Wedding (Special Edition).
The story is really good with a great memorable villain play by Mickey Rourke how steals show from the fist minute he is on screen.What's make this western movie different from others movies?
I describe it as a western movie mix with a strategy war game chess and a lot psychological twist.
It's definitive a must see and one of the best HBO Films..
Great Movie.
I'm not even a particular fan of westerns, but this movie -- I have watched a dozen times, and still enjoy it.Can't figure out what is so special about this movie, but it is a good one.Rourke's portrayal as Graff creates a strong love-hate connection with the viewer.
You relate to his pain.Dermot Mulroney's portrayal of Eustis ("Useless") an outlaw with some principles left -- and a sense of right and wrong -- was superb.All of the actors portrayal of their parts -- was right on.
You can feel Keith David's (Lovecraft's) superstitious fear.What an excellent movie.
Competent but otherwise not so original western about a bunch of outlaws who made a great assault and afterward started to struggle between themselves for the money.
Violent and taut script goes on well and Rourke, as the sadistic but brave chief of the bandits, looking for revenge, gives a solid and convincing performance.
A good option for western fans, especially those who liked spaghetti western because this movie has some elements of the genre and resembles some Italian entries, like, for instance, "Black Jack" and "Django" (the first of the series, with Franco Nero in the title role).
ago, this movie has been recommended to me as a cool, exciting Western, by the guy from a video store, a rental store (instead, it's trite and boring).
Instead of the Leone movie, he got this valueless role as a bastard and mean officer.And suddenly, there's his Asian, striking, outlandish, mean, undeserved look, as if he was playing an alien warlord, with his newfound burnout ugliness and pulp thug menace.
From now on, there's no more about hijacking scripts, but about Rourke doing movies on his own, having it his own way, irrespective of what everyone else on the set is doing.
His role here could as well fit into one of the cheap fantasy movies of the '80s, like 'The Beastmaster' by Coscarelli, or others.Otherwise, 'The Last Outlaw' is worthless rubbish, with an annoying lead; I had already seen Dermot Mulroney in 'Bad Girls', and didn't like him.Costner, Willis, Gibson, Gere, Hackman, Crowe, Depp did images of broadly Western types, from various epochs, in the '90s; Cruise didn't..
Which way should we go?" "How many bullets did you say we had?" "Lets stop again since we are being chased." Yes, I am making fun of this movie.
Watching this film, you search for an reason what so ever when you ask yourself why they are doing what they end up doing.
The biggest question is why the law didn't kill Graff once they came upon the men at the hill?
They kept Graff alive for the main reason of finding the men.
I feel bad since the only good acting in the movie came from Steve Buscemi and he is the first one to get it by Graff.
It's actually the best TV western I have ever seen.
That doesn't mean that there are not other films like this anywhere, but I have never seen an acceptable TV western, from the sixties, seventies or even nineties.
But this feature remains worth watching: good action sequences, interesting characters, bloody violence too.
Of course, any western buff could point tout that Eric Red, the screen writer, may have been "inspired" by films such as WILD BUNCH, LONG RIDERS or even HUNTING PARTY - no one has talked about this film, concerning LAST OUTLAW.
Anyway, yes, I recommend it for any one interested in westerns who could get bored with all the TV movies shown these last decades.
Mickey Rourke gives here a awesome performance..
Crazed ex-Confederate Micky Rourke is shot in the back by his own men and left for dead.
He soon manipulates the situation until he's firmly in charge (!) and proceeds to exact brutal vengeance on his old gang.The Last Outlaw is made exciting and memorable by an odd, amusing performance by Rourke, who looks almost feminine with his pencil-thin eyebrows, along with loads of familiar character actors, including Dermot Mulroney, Ted Levine, John C.
McGinley, Keith David and a nasty little script by Eric Red (The Hitcher).This is definitely worth checking out.
The scene where Steve Buscemi bites it, might be the goriest gunshot in western film history!One flaw: jet exhaust can be clearly spotted in the sky in one scene.