Just rewatched it. Always been on of my favorite movies. The exchanges between Duval and Costner are great. They bravado of Costner is even better.

I think it’s probably the best western film of this century, at least, I can’t think of a better contender for that title. For me, it’s right up there with Unforgiven. It’s one of my all-time favorites also.

I agree - the beginning where they're just driving cattle was/is still idyllic (and then it changing on a dime). Great movie.

One of the things that makes a great movie is how well the supporting players in lesser roles work with the main characters.
Open Range is a great example of this. Just about everybody is good in it!

It was really well done. The dialog was top notch. An example:

Percy: It's been a while since I was in a fight. I panicked. Fell back, like to have broke my foot.
Boss Spearman: Ornery old fool.
Percy: Well, or that damned Cuban cigar got me riled up.

Then there is Boss’s monologue in the diner towards the two bit sheriff. One of my favorite scenes in any film I have ever seen.

Boss: We got a warrant sworn for attempted murder for them that tried to kill the boy who's laying over there at the Doc's, trying to stay alive. Swore out another one for them that murdered the big fella you had in your cell. Only ours ain't writ by no tin star, bought and paid for, Marshal. It's writ by us, and we aim to enforce it.

The Sheriff is James Russo. You’ve seen him as the thief at the end of Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He robs the 7-11 that Brad Hamilton was working at. Nobody can play an ass hole like James Russo. He was great in Beverly Hills Cop and Donnie Brasco. In Donnie Brasco they are beating the shit out of the Japanese man at the Sushi restaurant and James is yelling “Hold him down”. I think his character grabs the trashcan and throws it at him

Yes, Excellent movie, I think it has the best gun fight scene of any western and Annette Benning enhances any movie she is in...

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Another thing in this movie that sets it apart from others is how authentic the sound of the gunfire is. It sounds genuine.

I really like this movie. They seem to really take the time to get the clothing and weapons right for the time. The gunfight is really well done too, except for...the completely unrealistic scene when Duvalls character shoots a guy through a wall with a shotgun. The guy is blown away like he got hit by a car.

Maybe I’m just a simple person, but I like these simple type movies. Not overly dramatic or action-based.

Simple plots can often be very boring movies, but when done right they are incredible.

I’m sure there is a word for it in cinema, but I’ve mentioned it before as the flow of the movie. There are not questions to be asked, no plot holes, or weird time skips.

Agree with all of that. Only bone to pick is the umpteen rounds Costner gets off before reloading.
A blind man would think he had a Glock 17.

quote:

Originally posted by sigspecops:
The gunfight is really well done too, except for...the completely unrealistic scene when Duvalls character shoots a guy through a wall with a shotgun. The guy is blown away like he got hit by a car.

In addition to that, there's Costner's magical 13 shot Peacemaker. Unlike the unrealistic reaction to getting struck with loads of buckshot (black powder shells, no less, which generated less energy than modern smokeless propellants), an impossible number of shots from a firearm without reloading can be excused because this sometimes happens in the editing room, due to carelessness or dramatic effect, and dramatic effect is most assuredly what the film makers were after when Costner did the impossible with his Colt SAA. In Michael Mann's Collateral, Tom Cruise did execute a magazine change with his .45 ACP H&K USP, but not before firing either 15 or 17 rounds from a pistol which holds a maximum of 13 rounds when using a standard magazine. Again, this is excusable.

Open Range is certainly a classical Western- a clear delineation between good and evil, even taking into account the obviously good man who had done bad things in his past (Costner). Its themes of individualism, justice and loyalty are at the heart of the traditional American Western film.

I do find a couple of parts of the film rather cloying, e.g. the "Princess Pattern" note Costner gives to the stable keeper, but this is forgivable, considering that the film is a rare example of the Western genre in the 21st Century.

I remember going to see this one in the theater when it came out back when I was in college. I also own the DVD. Great movie.

"How is this going to work if you don't do what I say?"

One of my favorites.

I thought the shootout scene is also unique in that it took so many pistol rounds to incapacitate a man.

I just re-watched it, Kostner started the gun fight with two six guns, I counted 10 maybe 12 shots before he switched to the rifle. After that it showed him reloading at least one of the six guns. He did fan the gun six times into one guy, but he had two... The shotgun blast was Hollywood for sure,...But he used both barrels at close range and some of the building also hit that guy. I have hunted deer for many years with buck shot and shot many, the reaction varies greatly. I shot a deer that ran by me and the muzzle was inches from the deer and it blew a 1" hole right through it and it ran 30-40 yards... I shot a large doe running quartering to me at maybe 20 yards and it flipped it backwards draped over a dead fall, didn't even twitch... Most often I use a shell that contains 18 (00) pellets.. I can imagine that guy tumbling some after that kind of shot...

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