Review of Appaloosa (2008) by Rick R — 01 Feb 2011

Appaloosa (2008).

I like an action-packed shoot-em-up as much as the next guy, but I can also appreciate a slower-paced western drama too, and that's what this one is. This movie is reminiscent of an old William S Hart silent western. The speech and attitude is very Victorian.

This is based on a great story by Robert Knott about two itinerant lawmen, Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) who are hired on by the city fathers of the New Mexican town of Appaloosa to bring law back into town.

Things have been getting out of hand with one of the rich ranchers, Randall Bragg (Jeromy Irons) and his men when they come riding into town. A couple of his men killed a Chicago developer wanting to get a copper mine started near town and raped his wife. The previous sheriff and deputy, trying to arrest the men at Bragg's ranch, never returned, and are believed dead. Virgil and Everett proceed to take over the town.

Things get further complicated when a young widow Allison French (Renée Zellweger) arrives in town. Virgil, who has basically only gone with whores and squaws, becomes smitten with her, not necessarily with her beauty, as much as with a refinement that he lacks. Allison seems to be attracted to anyone who's higher up on the pecking order. She even hits on Everett who is loyal to his friend and partner.

Everett is seeing a whore, Katie (Ariadna Gil) who doesn't think very highly of Mrs. French. Frankly, the audience doesn't like her either, but our two heros are too genteel (and maybe it's the fact that women are in such short supply in the west) for them to think ill of her.