Best Western since Unforgiven is what some critics have said. I’d have to agree and I know some won’t agree with me.

This is Bale’s second “Western”, 3:10 to Yuma being the previous and I wouldn’t really count Little Women amongst them. This is a fantastic film. Key action starts right at the very beginning of the film, and it is gruesome. Whole film is slow and steady with less dialogue and lots of body language and unspoken words, or simplistic sentences. The characters tend to get their point or message across with fewer words than most films. Kids, I’d say need to be level headed teens, 13 or 14 minimum as it is an R feature, and there is definitely violence. So maybe 15-16 years old accompanied by a parent.

It is a very steady and slow paced film, with lots of cinematography of late 1800’s from New Mexico, Coloarado, and Montana. Bale plays a career soldier, who has engaged in years of fighting against the Native Americans and his last duty is to escort the people he hates back home. Wes Studi puts in an excellent performance as Yellow Hawk. There is fighting, there is death, there is trust on both sides as Bale is escort to an old chief trying to make his way home before Cancer gets him. Rosamund Pike and Adam Beach put in excellent supporting roles. I’d go into more detail but would get too spoiler. Damn fine Western, and much different to other Westerns over the last 15-20 years. I was very surprised by the film, several tear jerking moments where you respect both sides, warriors of different ethnicity, and backgrounds. The media may play this up as some racial thing that is significant to today, and I disagree. This film has a lot of blood on its’ hands and it’s equal all around. Bale, yet again, turns in a stellar performance. Not the best film of the last year I’ve seen but definitely my favorite. The subject matter is my wheel house as I’m fascinated by the Natives, their stories and their historical significance in our history.

I haven’t decided if I’m going again next week because I’m buying this one when it releases on Blu Ray and I never or extremely rarely buy films. I will want to watch this film 3 or 4 times I liked it so much. I need to decide if I’m going to hit the pause button and look forward to another watch on disc and leave it alone for a while or if I can’t wait and must watch it again. Very, very, moving film, and very emotional in many scenes. Hostile land, hostile people of all kind. There is a scene where someone falls asleep, and things happen that the party doesn’t find out about until the next day. The silence in that scene was something else. The pacing is slow and steady but builds late in the film for a final act that was excellent. The final third of the film really brings the whole film together, makes it cohesive, and very impressive. I’d definitely recommend it, and check the politics at the door. Subject matter very close to my heart so maybe this film meant more to me than most. It’s been since Unforgiven I’ve seen a Western with some deep in it. Appaloosa was great as I’m a fan of Ed Harris and Viggo but this Western is much more serious, deliberate, and intoxicating if some slower pacing doesn’t bother you. There is a lot of quiet in the film, and it was a nice change from all the noise of other films. You are bound to miss some of the dialogue in some lines so you have to pay close attention to every spoken word. Scenery was breathtaking. I hope some people make the fort to see this in the theater, it was worth more than Imoaid to see it. Can’t wait to own it.

I was concerned this would be another about "Whites are bad. Indians are good and noble. We should all feel guilty."

True or not true?

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:
I was concerned this would be another about "Whites are bad. Indians are good and noble. We should all feel guilty."

True or not true?

Same here. I was going to post about this a week ago but thought I'd wait for someone to see it and post. I'm not much for slow moving not much dialogue films, they tend to run longer than needed so this might not fit me. Especially if I'm supposed to feel guilty about something.
It's impossible to check your politics at the door when seeing anything out of Hollywood these days.

Thanks for the review
I was planning to see it on my day off Wednesday.

very interested in seeing this.

To me - the issue is deep and complicated.

Whites did horrible things -- natives did horrible things.

From what I have read -- I may be wrong -- the movie deals with this more on a personal level. Not a big political statement.

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Thanks for the review.

Going to see it tomorrow.

going this morning...

quote:

Originally posted by Sig209:
Whites did horrible things -- natives did horrible things.

Europeans (whites) won these wars. Our leftists leaders think that now we need to atone by losing. Seeing how losing worked out for the Indians, I think winning is preferable.

Too crowded. I may wait a bit to see it if only to avoid the crowds.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig209:
very interested in seeing this.

To me - the issue is deep and complicated.

Whites did horrible things -- natives did horrible things.

From what I have read -- I may be wrong -- the movie deals with this more on a personal level. Not a big political statement.

------------------------

Correct sir. Both sides. Neither side’s hands are clean and each party knows it. In this film some Natives work with soldiers together for both their survival and they are tested as far as you can be and from every angle. It was a very moving film. If someone turns this into some political bull shit I’m gonna be none too pleased.
This film goes into great detail about warriors on both sides that fought when they were young toe to toe and works it way into some level of respect, on both sides. There is one particular scene where one party does something nobody expected. And there are very few words spoken about it. You see the aftermath so a bunch of words weren’t needed. It’s a very beautiful film so let’s keep politics the f out of it. Warriors of different people can both hate, and respect each other.

quote:

Originally posted by f2:
Too crowded. I may wait a bit to see it if only to avoid the crowds.

I always go late at night because I cannot gonduring the week. My viewing was not packed and enjoyable. I’m gonna have a hard time not trading my Shape of Water ticket in tonight to see this again.

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:

quote:

Originally posted by f2:
Too crowded. I may wait a bit to see it if only to avoid the crowds.

I always go late at night because I cannot gonduring the week. My viewing was not packed and enjoyable. I’m gonna have a hard time not trading my Shape of Water ticket in tonight to see this again.

Good point. I may try that. SoW was good, but not all those nominations good, but I'm not an academy voting member, even though as advertised they've added a bunch recently, and I think the results will speak / are speaking for themselves. The best part was Sally Hawkins and Michael Shannon - period.

Going at 9:30 tonight

quote:

Originally posted by f2:

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:

quote:

Originally posted by f2:
Too crowded. I may wait a bit to see it if only to avoid the crowds.

I always go late at night because I cannot gonduring the week. My viewing was not packed and enjoyable. I’m gonna have a hard time not trading my Shape of Water ticket in tonight to see this again.

Good point. I may try that. SoW was good, but not all those nominations good, but I'm not an academy voting member, even though as advertised they've added a bunch recently, and I think the results will speak / are speaking for themselves. The best part was Sally Hawkins and Michael Shannon - period.

Agreed, Shannon and Hawkins. I got tied up with chores and TSOW the last showing of the evening. Great film.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Prefontaine,

I wish I had our money back. It sucked one of the slowest movies I've seen lately. Debbie spent 15 bucks on popcorn and Diet Coke to keep her from falling asleep.

quote:

Originally posted by charlie12:
I wish I had our money back. It sucked one of the slowest movies I've seen lately. Debbie spent 15 bucks on popcorn and Diet Coke to keep her from falling asleep.

I also saw this last night. I’m not quite as critical as charlie12 is, but I agree it was very slow. I actually enjoy slow, thoughtful films, but I wanted very much to like the film more than I did. I love westerns. The story was decent, the cinematography/scenery was beautiful, Bale did a fine acting job as usual, and the gunfight scenes were well done. It just lacked that certain flow necessary to keep you riveted.

There was a great quote to start the film:

“The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic and a killer,” — D.H. Lawrence

That quote describes Bale’s character perfectly; some others in his group not so much. Apparently there was a lot of PTSD after the Indian wars.

There was a hint of white guilt/apology (a few hints actually) but it wasn’t terribly “in your face” blatant. As has been said above, it is far more personal than political.

I give it a somewhat generous 3 out of 5 stars.

This movie is on point. I couldn't look away. Amazing story, amazing script, fantastic acting, amazing scenery and cinematography.

Winner of numerous awards. Best western of all time.

Must see movie.

A masterpiece in my eyes.

If you thought this movie sucked, go watch your Spider-Man or other comic book garbage. THIS is a film!!

Good flick.

The cinematography of the wide open landscape could be a film in an of itself. And it changes from desert to mountains to forest. You get a sense of magnitude of the distances and beauty, almost like they there are specifically saying "this is not some soundstage, this is not some pissante studio property where they filmed every 50's and 60's TV shows or Little House on the Prairie, this is the real WEST"

And the story was really well anchored in the emotional wells of the characters, too. They all have serious baggage, all had pasts (except the wimmenz and chillens) and well-deserved grudges. But the journey they go on, and the losses and wounds they suffer, provide them with impetus to move past their garbage.

The action isn't sensational, it is purposeful, not just blood and bullets. By the end, you get to the point where you understand why it ends as it does.

Good flick

My wife and I enjoyed it tremendously. This will be in my purchased videos library when it comes out.

My wife and I saw it over the weekend and agree with the accolades given so far.
It was nothing like what I expected but was very interesting and thought provoking.
*****