I do not understand the resentment many people hold toward Kevin Costner. His harshest critics seem to react personally to "Waterworld" and "The Postman;" many go so far as to trash "Dances With Wolves." Costner does have some bad movies on his resume, but so does every major American star. Simply put, I would rather watch Kevin Costner in almost any movie (OK, with the exception of "Postman" or "Revenge") than sit through CGI junk like "Hulk" or "Matrix Reloaded."
I loved "Open Range," and was sorry to see that it debuted at a mere No. 3 at the box office. This is a real movie, with real characters, real structure, and a real story to tell. It builds slowly, carefully, so that we're emotionally involved in the violence at the end. I don't think any other movie in the sorry summer of 2003 can say that. Certainly not the "film" that bested "Open Range," "Freddy vs. Jason," which no one will be watching or talking about 10 years from now (the true test for any movie).
While I enjoyed Costner's performance as the lonely, conflicted, violent gunman/cowpoke, I especially admired his direction. It was clear and focused and quickly paced. The movie fits well within the same genre as "Unforgiven," but is its own thing, not a ripoff. Costner has a real director's eye for shot composition and draws beautiful work out of Robert Duvall and Annette Bening, not to mention Michael Gambon and Michael Jeter.
This movie shows that "The Postman" was a fluke, a true vanity project. But it is also time for us to move on and let Costner make movies. Too bad that if the movie underperforms financially, it will be more difficult for him to so. He's the real deal.
I loved "Open Range," and was sorry to see that it debuted at a mere No. 3 at the box office. This is a real movie, with real characters, real structure, and a real story to tell. It builds slowly, carefully, so that we're emotionally involved in the violence at the end. I don't think any other movie in the sorry summer of 2003 can say that. Certainly not the "film" that bested "Open Range," "Freddy vs. Jason," which no one will be watching or talking about 10 years from now (the true test for any movie).
While I enjoyed Costner's performance as the lonely, conflicted, violent gunman/cowpoke, I especially admired his direction. It was clear and focused and quickly paced. The movie fits well within the same genre as "Unforgiven," but is its own thing, not a ripoff. Costner has a real director's eye for shot composition and draws beautiful work out of Robert Duvall and Annette Bening, not to mention Michael Gambon and Michael Jeter.
This movie shows that "The Postman" was a fluke, a true vanity project. But it is also time for us to move on and let Costner make movies. Too bad that if the movie underperforms financially, it will be more difficult for him to so. He's the real deal.