jasonw-5

Wow... what is happening to creativity in television?!? This show is one of the worst things I have ever seen. The concept is unengaging, the acting is horrible and the whole thing stinks like an after school special! There is absolutely nothing fresh here. I swear the actors are reading off of cue cards just off camera. What's with every character having to pause and stare off camera every 3 minutes? Oh, wait... they replay all the episodes on ABC Family? Now it all makes sense. Thank god for HBO and Netflix because network television has reached an all-time low! I highly suggest spending your time elsewhere. I know I will be.

A truly great film that needs multiple viewings to really capture the depth and subtext that exists within each character. John Wayne's Ethan Edwards is such an unlikable character struggling with so much inner turmoil over hatred toward Indians, contempt towards a military that surrendered to the North and forever pining for his brothers wife that only John Wayne could have pulled off the role. Anyone else would have been despised by audiences of the time.

Director John Ford holds back nothing as he captures both the darkness and the beauty of the rugged old west, setting his film deep in Monument Valley and easily making you forget the fact that the film takes place in Texas. The reasoning behind the lone star location reinforces the independence that these men are striving for, fighting not only to live free of government control but free of fear from the natives that surround them.

Make this film part of your library and it will easily become one of you favorite films.

JMW

It begins with a rather impressive list of literary characters played by a formidable cast of up-and-coming actors and one very established favorite, Sean Connery. An impressive cast gathered for what could have been a stronger film. The story, fictional heroes and villains teamed together to battle an enemy of mother England, has great potential. And therein lies the problem with the film, it is great potential wasted as too many under established professionals attempt to step outside their comfort zones.

Thirty minutes into the film you've been introduced to all the characters and a complicated story of intrigue is about to develop. Unfortunately this is where things get drawn out, cheesy and just plain forgettable. By the end it's a cliché action-adventure with a creative group that ends up trying too hard. For instance, the special effects team goes over-the-top in creating a comparable foe for Hyde ruining the impressive work done up to then. By concentrating more on story, the filmmaker and his team could have had more pride in creative characters without the crutch of special effects.

As I write this I still have twinge of interest in the literary characters brought to life for me once again. If a sequel were proposed they would need to go back to the drawing board rather than trying to improve upon what's been started.