A modern western. There sure aren't as many as there used to be. The ones that actually get financed certainly have a tough road ahead. Many younger audiences in particular just don't care to see anything under the "western" banner and losing that core movie-going audience sure doesn't sit well with producing studios that want profitable box office grosses. An older audience may also hold a "been there, seen that" feeling. Still, there needs to be that part of you - the movie watcher - that realizes that any western film that gets released to theaters today must be watchable and inherently good.
Now I'm not going to change anyone's mind on the subject, but even if you're not watching these sorts of films, it behooves you to at least embrace western cinema as the pure Americana that it is. The ones made and set in America can often feel more like a part of history than today's modern period films. This is probably due to the outsize presence of John Wayne feeling as important a movie star as there has ever been. Foreign influence can never be forgotten, of course. The best examples being the classic spaghetti westerns filmed in Europe by Sergio Leone and the scores of Ukrainian-born composer Dimitri Tiomkin, who was a favorite of many great directors (Capra, Hitchcock, Hawks) creating some of the most iconic western themes in cinema.
APPALOOSA centers on two men in the gun trade, played by Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen. They arrive in the small town and are quickly drafted into service to be the new marshalls of Appaloosa. The previous local law enforcement has been murdered and there is an ill feeling that the guilty party who's done the deed may make a grab for more power. This man is played by Jeremy Irons, a powerful actor in any film, here shining with dark glee in his first western role. A lovely belle of a gal (Renee Zellweger) arrives in town as the hotel's new piano player and she is immediately eyed by both Harris and Mortensen. With a love interest now in the picture as well as the impending threat of Irons, the two men are now put to the test.
Harris directs himself here again (after great acclaim with POLLOCK in 2000). He has a strong support at his right-hand with Mortensen (ask yourself when's the last time you saw a film of Viggo's that you didn't enjoy). The pair worked together very well in David Cronenberg's A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE and it was there that Harris handed over the script to see if it piqued Viggo's interest. We are well-suited as viewers because of it. The great part here is how neither character falters in their admiration and respect for the other. Their partnership has lasted a good long time and the recent events in Appaloosa are not those that would rend assunder this strong bond. The last act proves how strong it really is and the acts that one friend must do for another. Friendships of this strength are rarely seen in any film, but it is comforting to see them in a powerful western like this.
If the last western you laughed out loud with was BLAZING SADDLES, then APPALOOSA will be a surprise for you. The friend I saw the picture with really enjoyed it more than she thought she would. I was very amused at the banter between the two leads and the dialogue (co-written by Harris) has an easy air about it ("You know me... just as long as I've known you.")
There is gunfire, but little blood. Similar to OPEN RANGE with Kevin Costner, there is tremendous impact with every single gunshot. The views are pleasant to look at and that has always been one of the enduring treats of seeing a western on the big screen. Appaloosa itself seems a bit of a shanty town that could pick up and blow away with the next sandstorm, but luckily for the people who reside in its proximity, they have a new strong anchor to hold it down from other outside forces. The film itself is also anchored by the pairing of Harris and Mortensen. Fans of both these great actors will appreciate them here and there may even be a new western fan or two among the bunch.
My favorite westerns: THE SEARCHERS (1956) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI2AZb04HAc
and ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49FsaizH9tQ
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