will-105

This director's 'Star Trek' made for great entertainment and a movie (not film) that I absolutely loved. Sorry, but I can't say the same for this one. The first hour or so sets up some very intriguing major dramatic questions and really pique the audience's interest. Unfortunately the payoffs to most of the setups are a bit weak, except for the resolution to the big question, and that payoff is flat out puny, bordering on ridiculous. In recent interviews Abrams has proudly cited the films that inspired this one and the evidence as to which ones they are is in full display very soon after Joe, our young protagonist (a stellar performance by newcomer Joel Courtney)is introduced and continue throughout.

Joe's relationship with Alice (an astonishing Elle Fanning) is the ONE thing in this movie that rings absolutely true. They are wonderful together.

Other than that the rest of the movie is a series of rehashed set pieces that do not engage us so much emotionally but rather ask us to sit and take in a tonally uneven and bland mash-up of what has come before and was done better. Not good, not bad, but if you're looking for an exciting time at the movies this summer, look elsewhere.

Bad script, bad direction, over the top performances, overwrought dialogue. What more could you ask for? For laughs, it just doesn't get any better than this. Zadora's over-acting combined with the cliched scenarios she finds herself in make for an hilarious parody of the "Hollywood" machine. Almost as funny as "Spinal Tap" even though it was clearly not intended as such. Don't miss Ray Liotta's debut film line, "Looks like a penis."

This film was held up for release more than once and now it's apparent why. Dreck!!! This dressed up "B" oater is a sobering reminder of how really well done films used to be. Even the bad ones were better than this. While it aspires to something profound and "hip", the overwrought and corny dialogue, the bombardment of cliches, and the horrid soundtrack and use of current music (Moby in 1865? Puh-lease!!!) make it anything but. The script smacks of something that might have been written for Audie Murphy or Jeffrey Hunter in 1964 and soundly rejected. By comparison "Young Guns" looks like "The Wild Bunch" (Yikes!!!). The filmmakers were apparently trying the "outlaw as rock star" motif but Peckinpah's "Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid" set a high water mark that handily drowns these guys. But, like "Billy" in the earlier work, everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, loves Jesse. It's sometimes hard to tell who wants to sleep with him more; his brother Frank, partner Cole Younger, or Zee Mimms, the purty gal he aims tuh marry. But fear not, bible thumpers, ain't no sinnin' goin' on here. Just good old-fashion killin'. The only people sleeping together would be the audience. The bad guys love him, too. They must, because whether it be at point blank range with a pistol, or with a Gatling gun during a Civil War battle , they just can seem to want to hurt this guy. Either that, or they're close to being the worst shots in film history. And woe be to those that do shoot at him 'cause all Jesses's got to do is smile. See him smile and it's a guarantee that these hombres ain't long for this world, by cracky. Remember the smile, folks, it's integral to our hero's save-the-day and "this one's fer Ma" antics. Les is a usually competent director and a nice guy to boot (old classmate o' mine). I hope he can recover from the savaging that the paid critics will give him. If you want to see the James gang saga told in a good movie save your money, stay at home, and checkout "The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid" or "The Long Riders".

Director Scott's debut leads us through a well paced maze of mystery. He keeps our interest by injecting unpredictable twists and turns throughout. A brave effort that goes against the formulaic grain of the majority of Hollywood releases.