I am not gonna get into the details of plot and story. But I will write that this is a wonderful film, I have seen it twice and was thoroughly engrossed and enraptured both times. Excellent cinematography and music. Costner, Duvall, Benning and the irascibly great Michael Gambon are perfectly cast. Duvall is a real treat to watch, he chews up the dialogue like the cattle on the free range. Though I would classify Open Range as a neo-western, it is not as nearly as dark as Unforgiven or The Missing, just as it is not charmingly fun like the Sergio Leone epics. But like Unforgiven, it is a tale of morality, honour, honesty, loyalty, and ultimately, the end of the western age. Thoughtful and moving, I found it to have quite an authentic tone to it. Without the grandiose moralistic philosophising of Unforgiven, the simplicity of the characters and their dialogues contain the essence of their time and setting. The relationship of the two leads is as good as an classic Buddy Film, really giving the viewer the sense of the necessary camaraderie of cowboys "lost" in the openness of a fading society of violence and a rapidly closing vastness. The extended gunfight at the end, is one of the best ever, with Costner choosing new and unique camera angles (no closeups of eyes) giving the realistic p.o.v for today's sophisticated viewer. If you are lucky enough to watch this with digital home theatre sound, the gunshot foley effects are tremendous! Though sadly overlooked at awards time (Costner is no longer to power player in Hollywood he once was), this is definitely one of the best movies of the year, and a classic in the genre of westerns. This movie represents the true essence of Midwestern America in the late 19th century, perhaps more than any movie, since Dances with Wolves and Unforgiven. A must see for the refined intelligent movie viewer. No popcornism here! 9 outta 10 for Effort, Execution, and Meaning
Review of Open Range
