I'm a huge western fan but the other 2 reviewers on this film are way off base...must be related biased basis to the production of the film. This film is just awful... you'd be far better off just watching an old episode of Roy Rogers. The acting and the script are both completely lacking of any substance and with half the budget and a camcorder anyone could have made a better western than this...don't waste your time. The story line needs work and in many places scene changes are completely disjointed. The actress playing the good doctor simply isn't believable in her role and her lines are lacking in reality. The bad guys are really the only semi-bright spot but there is absolutely no character development from that end either. The movie sets were extremely amateurish but the camera work and cinematography were at least somewhat up to standard for such a low budget film. Nevertheless, I absolutely can not recommend this film even to the most die-hard western fan.
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kenkarmaguy13 September 2012
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jeremymirish23 January 2013The historical information questionable, which was displayed in the narrative by the native American at the beginning of the movie (Was it the white man who began scalping, or the native American?...Did the native Americans really live in PEACE before the white came?...Seems that they were always fighting with other and taking other tribal members into slavery...) Also, the dialog was not good, the Dr.'s outfit seemed tailored, the boards were cut mostly clean through as with a table saw or ban saw, the intonation of the dialog was inappropriate, and the Dr.'s hair was dyed red...she looked too old to have non-gray hair. Also, the guy who drank all the time clearly tried to take after Val Kilmer in Tombstone...very bad imitation. The tribe coming at the end and shooting the one man without even knowing what happened with the others seemed a little strange. I think I wasted my money.
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First of all do not believe anybody that rated this movie as good because they are for sure all related in some kind of way to somebody that was involved in making this piece of crap. There is absolutely nothing good to say about this western. I do like a good western every now and then but this is probably one of the worst I've ever seen. The story is incredibly weak, the dialogs are so lame you wonder how the guy that wrote this makes a living out of what he does. The actors are below average with some practically reading their script I think. The music and sound effects played during some scenes are also very badly chosen. I regret watching this movie so much, that's 90 minutes of my life I won't get back. Avoid at all costs...
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geoffox-766-41846720 September 2014I keep looking for any Michael Biehn film available because I do like the man's talent and choices of work. Reminds me a lot of Heath Ledger as he takes chances and is never disappointing in his choices even if the film itself doesn't come up to par.
Yellow Rock is somewhere in between a good film and a fair film. Story line could be stronger with more emphasis on Biehn's character. I felt he delivered as much as he could but felt the script fell short in giving him more to do. It seems he started out well and along the way was forgotten about. We got too caught up in the villains and the gold. Sort of a Treasure of Sierra Madre with out the script and/or characters to back it up.
The female lead was not a good choice. She seemed out of place, not belonging in the time era. Too modern or something. Her acting was okay, but not strong enough to carry the film as certainly they didn't give Biehn anything to do to carry the film.
So I give this a 5 for scenery, Michael Biehn and the Old West. -
cosmo_tiger5 August 2012"I don't give a damn about those Indians, all I care about is finding my brother and the boy." When Max Dietrich's (Russo) brother and son go missing he sets out to find them. When he gets to the town of Yellow Rock he hires Tom Hanner (Biehn) to guide him to where his brother is. After meeting up with a doctor and getting permission from the tribe's elders they set out on the path to find them. Against the wishes of the Indian guide with them they pass through a sacred burial ground. I'll save you the "western genre is dead" speech, but again this is another movie that isn't terrible but is a B-movie at best. The idea is neat and the cast actually has people that I've heard of but like most westerns lately this one is very slow moving and not really worth watching more then once. Little by little it seems like western movies are starting to get better, but at this pace it will have a full revival in the year 2067. Overall, not as bad as most of the new westerns that have been made and worth watching, but don't expect amazing. I give it a B-.
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parfyonovaleksey26 July 2012Westerns are a rare event in this day and age. We are obsessed with the future: cybernetics, machines, space, we end up forgetting about the original final frontier. A frontier that did not require a degree in science to achieve, but simply a spirit of adventure and a will to survive. Yellow Rock may not revolve around the idea of discovery, but rather the effects of discovery. Although practically a cliché at this point, the classic story of the white man abusing the kindness of Native Americans is a formula that works, especially for this movie's favor.
Yellow Rock has several aspects supporting it that could only be achieved in a Western film. The atmosphere achieves a sense of tensity, but feels campy and fun at the same time. The two protagonists, an independent woman doctor and a man with a troubled past, are likable and competent. The antagonists are cartoon evil, and although the film attempts to hide the real villains, most people will catch on rather quickly. In truth, the "plot twist" may be the weakest part of the movie simply by how predictable it is. Regardless, Yellow Rock is a solid Western, and if you have an itch for anything new, you should give it a fair shot. -
nogodnomasters11 August 2018The film opens with a poorly scripted, worse read narrative about the plight of the Native Americans. Max Dietrich (James Russo) an apparently bad guy comes into Yellow Rock to hire Tom Hanner (Michael Biehn) to take him through Black Paw territory so he can locate his missing brother and nephew. His party of men end up with Dr. Sarah Taylor, an interpreter respected by the Black Paw and a member of the tribe (Michael Spears) to make sure they don't pass through the sacred burial grounds which would curse them. Of course they pass through the daylight medieval misty burial grounds and the film takes the anticipated twist.
The acting was over done to the point of being bad. Lenore Andriel, who also wrote and produced this film was perhaps the worse of the lot reminding me of a laughable Angelique Pettyjohn. I understand shooting a film on a budget, but if you are going to use a modern Presidential coin to be a $20 gold piece, don't show a close-up of the coin. C'mon Nick, at least look at the final edited version of the film.
The film ends, likewise as it begins with a narrative that should have remained on the cutting room floor.
*Winner Best Picture - 2011 Red Nation Film Festival *Winner Best Director - Nick Vallelonga - 2011 Red Nation Film Festival *Winner Best Actor - Michael Spears - 2011 Red Nation Film Festival
It did win these awards with 3 nominations in each category. i.e. it was judged better than 2 other films "Breaking Dawn" and "Every Emotion Costs."
Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity. Some minor adult language. -
avandoren-127903 January 2019I never seen such BS propaganda in my entire life except in the old Soviet Union. Replace noble Indians+female dogooders with noble workers (proletarians) and greedy white evil males with greedy capitalists and you will get good Soviet movie tailored according to the cliches of Socialist Realism. In this movie you will be exposed to the mosaic of wooden schematic characters (and played badly) that fit required ideological norms. I almost puked by the end of this movie. This "masterpiece" is an excellent window into the minds of the makers of the movie are literally trapped into the Multikulti ideology that still dominates our mainstream (noble polite Native Americans who are stewards of nature and who are never greedy, their allies (noble female caretakers and an accidental male misfit) and evil greedy violence-prone white males. The material and caricature characters simply beg for a good critical review that will disect and make fun of them.
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gordonl563 June 2016YELLOW ROCK 2011
Considering the cast involved here I was expecting an unseen little gem. It turns out to be more like cut glass. Michael Biehn, James Russo, Lenore Andriel, headline this low budget film. The Yellow Rock of the title of course refers to gold.
Michael Biehn is a down on his luck cowboy hired by James Russo to look for his brother and son. The problem here is that the pair are most likely lost on Indian lands. The local tribe needs to be asked for permission to cross their land.
Biehn approaches a woman doctor he knows about getting said permission. The doctor is played by Lenore Andriel. (What a looker) Miss Andriel introduces Biehn to the Indian chiefs for a talk. Permission is granted as long as the men take along one of the tribe, Michael Spears. The doc, Andriel, also joins the group in case there are any injured among the missing.
Needless to say matters go south in a hurry as the Russo and his men, Christopher Backus, Clay Wilcox, Paul Sloan, Brian Gleason and Peter Sherayko just ride right through some burial grounds. Biehn begins to smell a large rat in the old cupboard.
And right he is as Russo and company are really after a healthy supply of gold hidden in an old mine. Guns are drawn and the Indian guide, Spears, is soon shot full of holes and left for dead. The man though is only wounded and will soon return for a spot of vengeance.
Of course the old western chestnut of the men turning on each other as gold fever takes hold is used. Bodies drop with finally only Biehn and Andriel surviving to ride out of the hills.
I really wanted to like this one, but the shopworn story defeats the film. The look of the production is good, but it cannot cover the plot problems. I would give the actors full marks for effort. A bigger budget and a firmer hand on the direction would have helped. -
Rickb_bad3 July 2022I see several reviews on here talking about how good this movie is. Let me assure you, it is not in any way shape or form good. The acting, with the exceptions of James Russo, Michael Biehn, and Michael Spears is atrocious at best. There is no tension, no matter how much the director tries to wrench it up, the camera work, sound, set design, props, and everything else is below subpar. The story is shallow, predictable and boring. The costuming is absurdly modern. And all this is coming from a person who adores westerns, old and new. Who is a fan of Michael Biehn, James Russo and Michael Spears, who are all great actors. I also enjoy low budget pictures like this. As it is this might have been more enjoyable had the makers not wanted to beat the viewer over the head with their ideology. It used to be that movies could make subtle points and explore complicated themes in smart ways. This movie does neither, it beats the viewer with what it wants them to think and does so at the expense of good storytelling. This is for western superfans only, and chances are most will be like me and not enjoy it.
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Uriah4317 March 2021This film begins with five cowboys riding into a sleepy town somewhere in the Southwest and upon dismounting head to the local saloon. Once inside the leader of the group named "Max Dietrich" (James Russo) inquires about the location of a man named "Tom Hanner" (Michael Biehn) and upon finding out heads over to the local church. Its then that Max asks Tom to help him and his companions to find his brother and son who have disappeared a week ago somewhere in Indian Territory. Tom agrees and realizing that he must first get permission from the Tribal elders goes to see a woman by the name of "Sarah Taylor" (Lenore Andriel) who has won the trust and confidence of that specific tribe. But what neither Tom nor Sarah realize is that Max hasn't told them the entire truth and that selfless actions will soon have real consequences. Now rather than reveal the rest of the story I will just say that this turn out to be a rather typical Western film produced during this time period which consists of lesser known actors working within the framework of a rather thin and politically correct plot which makes heavy use of certain stereotypes. Not surprisingly, it isn't one of the better Westerns ever produced. It does, I suppose, have some entertaining value and for that reason I have rated it as just slightly below average.
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fxrandrea24 February 2013I recently rented yellow rock and was surprised. I had gathered that it was a low budget Indie film. It sure did not look low budget. There was a large cast of well known actors, beautiful sets and a clear and well lighted picture. These are things I would associate with "not low budget project", but there they were! Now the story: It is a western in the real traditional sense, but, and here is the important part, it offers a window into the lives of the Native American Peoples of California prior to their destruction. A fascinating, lost history with a touch of pathos for what has been destroyed. Of course, It is not on the scale of Dances with Wolves due to the budget, but it is a well researched and very enjoyable movie. An indie that looks like a big budget production.
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savanahrose-654-307517 April 2013To me personally it was better than some other westerns I have seen. It was slow to start but it eventually caught up. I originally watched it because of Michael Biehn was in it. But I thought it was good enough to watch. I don't watch movies due to any historical value I watch for entertainment. I loved that the movie was based on part of the American Indian perspective. Would I watch this again? Yes I would watch it. I was in an old west class in high school and they had us read poems from the Indian point of view. What I had read saddened me and to watch this it brought it all back. Again, why only the one star? I think that some of the acting in the movie was really sub-par by a couple of the actresses but other than that it was not too bad.
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vchimpanzee17 April 2018This is a Western so of course there was shootin' and fightin'. Nothing too graphic but there was some blood. The sound went out several times and a character's mouth was covered by a rectangle. There is more emphasis on a strong woman, meaning the doctor, unlike some older Westerns. Sarah is played by Lenore Andriel, who was a writer and producer as well. Native American traditions are respected, even if the bad guys constantly disrespect the "Injuns". Since the actor playing Broken Wing is listed as "Native American consultant", I assume he is doing everything right.
The burial ground scene is quite creepy with a lot of smoke and weird music.
The goal is eventually reached, after many obstacles. It's not what you might think. Hint: what is the movie's title and what did Black Feather say?
It's not an important or classic western, but it is okay. -
stgoodnight18 February 2013Yellow Rock . . . a substance many wish for, some seek and few find. The lure of gold was strong in the 1800s and the marauders in this Western movie are weak to resist her beautiful charms. The amazing James Russo plays the gang leader Max Dietrich, and with a solid fake cover story in hand, he finds Tom Hanner to lead them near Black Paw Indian territory. Played by well loved cowboy actor, Michael Biehn, Hanner is a man struggling with grief over the loss of his family. He agrees when he learns another man's brother and son are missing.
This Western was directed by Nick Vallelonga and you will recognize brothers Michael and Eddie Spears playing Broken Wing and Angry Wolf of the fictional Black Paw Tribe. Joseph Billingiere appears as Chief White Eagle Feather.
This mystical tale of cowboys, Indians and spirits includes a refreshing role in the old West of Dr. Sarah Taylor. This lovely, smart, strong female doctor is beautifully portrayed by the awesome Lenore Andriel, who also co-wrote and produced the film with wonderful Steve Doucette. The entire movie was shot in 12 days, which is miraculous for such rich quality. This story has real heart and is perfect for family viewing, which was critical to Lenore and Steve as they worked on the screenplay.
The cinematography is fantastic and from a production standpoint, the attention to detail is incredible. Peter Sherayko who played Farley in Yellow Rock, provided everything on set through his company Caravan West. They also provided the necessary items for the movie Tombstone and Peter assures historical accuracy from guns to shirt buttons.
Randy Miller's musical score is the magic that pulls us into this amazing tale among whispering spirits, howling wolves and intense emotions. The special effects and editing of Yellow Rock wove the final touches needed to make this an award winning motion picture.
Lenore and Steve are extremely thankful to everyone in the cast and crew. They worked together as a team to make it all happen in a very fast manner for this wonderful film. Yellow Rock gets gold stars in every aspect of production. Yellow Rock - Catch the Fever.
The rest of the cast includes; Christopher Backus as Cobb, Clay Wilcox as Roscoe, Brian Gleason as Billy Boy, Amy Jennings as Martha, Paul Sloan as Johnson, Jennifer Blanc as Monica, Elaine Lockley Smith as Sequilla and James Logan as McKinley. We will be interviewing many of these actors within the coming weeks.
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In loving memory of Brigitte Burdine and all the lost Indian tribes.