Review of Appaloosa (2008) by Susan S — 09 Aug 2009

I could not help comparing this to it's peer "3:10 to Yuma" which was another modern take on the western released around the same time. Of the two, "Appaloosa" is the inferior movie.

While handsomely photographed like any Western must be, it is slow and wooden where "3:10..." was loose and fun. Where Christian Bale and Russell Crowe were given some room to stretch their characters out and let them breathe, Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen (usually fine actors as well) remain uptight, stiff, and uninteresting from beginning to end.

In supporting roles we get another annoying performance from Renee Zellweger (am I the only person who thinks she is miscast in Westerns?) and Jeremy Irons wasted as the villain, in a role that doesn't really let him do anything except show off a shockingly full head of hair.