Appaloosa
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 hour, 54 minutes
Directed by: Ed Harris
Starring:
Ed Harris - Virgile Cole
Viggo Mortensen - Everett Hitch
Jeremy Irons - Randall Bragg
Renée Zellweger - Allison French
Lance Henriksen - Ring Shelton
Adam Nelson - Mackie Shelton
Can you turn the clock back on the Western after such seminal films like The Searchers and Unforgiven? Ed Harris wants to with his latest film, Appaloosa, his first directorial effort since 2000's Pollack. As far as this film goes, the answer is no. While not a strictly black-hat/white-hat affair (Harris' hat is black but he's the good guy), it's a pretty simple flick and I think movie-goers demand more from their films, especially one as old as the Western.
Two parts Rio Bravo with a little bit of The Searchers thrown in (minus the complexity and racism), Appaloosa follows two peacekeepers, Virgil Cole (Harris) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) who come to protect the town of Appaloosa from the baddie Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons). After capturing Bragg, there are surprisingly few shots fired as Cole and Hitch are able to keep Bragg's henchmen at bay with nothing more than steely resolve.
Matters are made slightly more complicated by the introduction of a deceptively slutty piano player played by Renée Zellweger who wins the affections of Cole in what appears to be the span of 48 hours. Their romance moves at a speed that's borderline comical and it's not helped by the fact that Zellweger and Harris have absolutely no chemistry.
Thankfully, the film's main relationship is between Cole and Hitch and Harris and Mortensen play off each other beautifully. It's a good old-fashioned bromance and it's what carries the film through its lean plot and simple themes of masculinity and modernity. Appaloosa doesn't really know what it's about and so it retreats into the Westerns of old. I'm not against a throw-back but there has to be something more going on, whether it be between the characters or the visuals.
Unfortunately, Harris' directing skills have not improved in the eight years since his last film. If the setting of the Western is constant, then the cinematography must carry the day. But Harris just doesn't have the eye for it and even if he did, there may not be much "it" to convey due to the weak themes.
Appaloosa wants to be a charming throw-back to the classic Westerns and there's nothing wrong with that. However, since the film's only real strength is the relationship between Cole and Hitch, it's an anemic affair and you'd be better off spending your time watching the films that moved the genre forward rather than a film that wants to exist pre-Searchers but minus the charm.
Words by
Matt Goldberg
8.5.08
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