Review of Jonah Hex (2010) by Reece D — 02 Sep 2011

Based on the DC comic by John Albano and Tony Dezuniga, this was intended to kick off a new franchise, but production problems and bad word of mouth helped this to flounder at the box-office. The fact of the matter is the film isn't as bad as what some people made out, but there is definitely a better film out there screaming to get out.

It has Confederate cavalryman Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) having his family murdered and is deformed by his commanding officer Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich). Having been saved by Native American Indians, but it leaves him with an ability to talk to the dead.

He roams America as a bounty hunter, and has a liasion with prostitute Lilah (Megan Fox). However, having believed Turnbull died years earlier, it turns out Turnbull is alive and well, and is planning a mass act of terror on Washington, as they prepare to celebrate their American centennial on July 4th 1876.

Hex is hired by Army Lieutenant Grass (Will Arnett) to find Turnbull and put a stop to his plans, which as it turns out, is a massive superweapon capable of destroying entire cities. It has a great deal of imagination on display, but it's too short to display them all, and it's too fast too.

Brolin does a good Clint Eastwood impression, and the cast is nicely rounded out by Michael Fassbender (who nearly steals the film), Aidan Quinn, Tom Wopat, Michael Shannon and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.