Open range is a Spaghetti Western, a romance, a buddy film, a samurai flick and a classic western rolled into one. And Kevin Costner balances each genre within the movie and creates an unforgettable classic.
Coaxing first rate performances out his entire cast, Kevin Costner hits a much needed home run after his recent run of stinkers. Bening and Duvall and the supporting cast play it low key but sincere--the only bad note is the cattle baron played by Michael Gambon, who is not one of my favorite actors.
As the film plays out, we first get the sense of an old Sergio Leone classic in that there are moments punctuated by extreme violence with a slow buildup in action during the rest of the film. Costner is the nexus upon which the other genres build. He is in a romance with Bening that never overburdens the action, he has interplay with Robert Duval that rivals the greatest buddy films. His resurrection of his old warrior ways reminds one of the samurai film where circumstances force a character into action long abandoned.
Finally, the elements of the classic western are all there, battles with the weather, the sappy rescue of a puppy from rising floodwaters, a goofy character in the livery man.
Through all of this Costner maintains the level of authenticity similar to Eastwood's turn in Unforgiven. People get cold and wet. A guy gets chloroformed and stays groggy and helpless long after he comes to, instead of springing right into action. Townsfolk show a level of righteous indignation instead of being cowed by the power base in the town. They act reluctantly, but they do ultimately react.
Spoiler below!!! In what I think is the most climactic scene, Costner approaches the top hired gun for the cattle baron and asks him if he shot his friend. After the gunslinger replies that he had indeed shot his friend, and that he did it in a cruel manner, Costner walks towards the guy and blows his brains out and kills a couple of the gunslinger's buddies before you can count a beat. I found that scene both shocking and refreshing. How many movies do you wait as the two antagonists jawbone about the situation, there is a suspenseful pause and ultimately the good guy is faster on draw? Pretty much every single one.
In Open Range, Costner is revealed to be a killer, a machine that simply acts without remorse or pause. That he is in the right is secondary to the fact that he is every bit as violent and ruthless as the bad guys when it comes to killing.
What is very satisfying about Open Range is that all the subplots and loose ends are tied up. Costner's relationship with Annette Bening has a satisfactory resolution, as does the windup of the cattle drive business. The injured boy gets better, and no detail is left alone.
Technically, its very well done, the camera, editing and cinematography is all first rate.
Coaxing first rate performances out his entire cast, Kevin Costner hits a much needed home run after his recent run of stinkers. Bening and Duvall and the supporting cast play it low key but sincere--the only bad note is the cattle baron played by Michael Gambon, who is not one of my favorite actors.
As the film plays out, we first get the sense of an old Sergio Leone classic in that there are moments punctuated by extreme violence with a slow buildup in action during the rest of the film. Costner is the nexus upon which the other genres build. He is in a romance with Bening that never overburdens the action, he has interplay with Robert Duval that rivals the greatest buddy films. His resurrection of his old warrior ways reminds one of the samurai film where circumstances force a character into action long abandoned.
Finally, the elements of the classic western are all there, battles with the weather, the sappy rescue of a puppy from rising floodwaters, a goofy character in the livery man.
Through all of this Costner maintains the level of authenticity similar to Eastwood's turn in Unforgiven. People get cold and wet. A guy gets chloroformed and stays groggy and helpless long after he comes to, instead of springing right into action. Townsfolk show a level of righteous indignation instead of being cowed by the power base in the town. They act reluctantly, but they do ultimately react.
Spoiler below!!! In what I think is the most climactic scene, Costner approaches the top hired gun for the cattle baron and asks him if he shot his friend. After the gunslinger replies that he had indeed shot his friend, and that he did it in a cruel manner, Costner walks towards the guy and blows his brains out and kills a couple of the gunslinger's buddies before you can count a beat. I found that scene both shocking and refreshing. How many movies do you wait as the two antagonists jawbone about the situation, there is a suspenseful pause and ultimately the good guy is faster on draw? Pretty much every single one.
In Open Range, Costner is revealed to be a killer, a machine that simply acts without remorse or pause. That he is in the right is secondary to the fact that he is every bit as violent and ruthless as the bad guys when it comes to killing.
What is very satisfying about Open Range is that all the subplots and loose ends are tied up. Costner's relationship with Annette Bening has a satisfactory resolution, as does the windup of the cattle drive business. The injured boy gets better, and no detail is left alone.
Technically, its very well done, the camera, editing and cinematography is all first rate.