DramaWesternCrime

Appaloosa

- Feelings get you killed.

Two friends hired to police a small town that is suffering under the rule of a rancher find their job complicated by the arrival of a young widow.

Release Date : 2008-09-19

Language :EnglishSpanish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : New Line CinemaAxon FilmsGroundswell Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Virgil Cole

Original Name : Ed Harris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Everett Hitch

Original Name : Viggo Mortensen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marshall Jack Bell

Original Name : Robert Jauregui

Gender : Male

Character Name : Randall Bragg

Original Name : Jeremy Irons

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vince

Original Name : Timothy V. Murphy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dean

Original Name : Luce Rains

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chalk

Original Name : James Tarwater

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bronc

Original Name : Boyd Kestner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joe Whittfield

Original Name : Gabriel Marantz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Town Boy

Original Name : Benjamin Rosenshein

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tilda

Original Name : Cerris Morgan-Moyer

Gender : Female

Character Name : Earl May

Original Name : James Gammon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Phil Olson

Original Name : Timothy Spall

Gender : Male

Character Name : Abner Raines

Original Name : Tom Bower

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fat Wallis

Original Name : Erik J. Bockemeier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bragg's Third Man

Original Name : Freddie Hice

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wagon Driver

Original Name : Tim Carroll

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bragg's Fourth Man

Original Name : Neil Summers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Allie

Original Name : Renée Zellweger

Gender : Female

Character Name : Chin

Original Name : Bounthanh Xaynhachack

Gender : Male

Character Name : Katie

Original Name : Ariadna Gil

Gender : Female

Character Name : Clerk

Original Name : Art Usher

Gender : Male

Character Name : Teamster

Original Name : Clark Sanchez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barber

Original Name : Cliff Gravel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Night Rider

Original Name : Mike Watson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clyde Stringer

Original Name : Rex Linn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charlie Tewksbury

Original Name : Corby Griesenbeck

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ring Shelton

Original Name : Lance Henriksen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mackie Shelton

Original Name : Adam Nelson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Judge Callison

Original Name : Bob L. Harris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mueller

Original Name : Daniel Parker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Conductor

Original Name : Ed Pennybacker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sharps

Original Name : Alvin William 'Dutch' Lunak

Gender : Male

Character Name : Apache Elder

Original Name : Martin Connelly

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Brave

Original Name : Danny Edmo

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beauville Sheriff Russell

Original Name : Argos MacCallum

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mexican Woman

Original Name : Cynthia Huerta

Gender : Male

Character Name : Citizen of Appaloosa

Original Name : Rachel de la Torre

Gender : Female

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

We can't have our law officers beatin' people half to death for no reason. Appaloosa is based on the 2005 novel of the same name written by Robert B. Parker. It's directed by Ed Harris, who also co-writes the story with Robert Knott. Harris also stars alongside Viggo Mortensen, Renée Zellweger, Jeremy Irons & Lance Henriksen. Music is by Jeff Beal and Dean Semler provides cinematography on location in Albuquerque, Austin and Santa Fe. Appaloosa is in the grip of bully boy rancher Randall Bragg (Irons), who finally oversteps the mark when the latest Marshall and his deputies are killed in cold blood. The townsfolk decide enough is enough and hire no nonsense travelling lawmen Virgil Cole (Harris) and his sidekick Everett Hitch (Mortensen) to protect and serve the town. Ruling with a rod of iron, Cole & Hitch start to bring order to Appaloosa, but the arrival in town of pretty Allie French (Zellweger) causes quite a stir between the two men. Bad timing too since the guys are trying to get Bragg to his rightful execution. In the modern era the Western has been the hardest genre for film makers to tackle. You can probably count on one hand the number of great or agreeable ones that have surfaced post Costner and Eastwood's efforts of 1990 and 1992 respectively. Enter Ed Harris, who undaunted by the long odds of getting a Western to be successful; and suffering worrying overtures from his backers at New Line Cinema, got Appaloosa made. Well made as it happens. Since the story itself is etched like the Wyatt Earp legend, there's really no fresh perspective on offer here. In fact, anyone familiar with Edward Dmytryk's excellent Warlock from 1959 will feel some narrative déjà vu. But Appaloosa does have strong performances and lush landscapes to see it successfully home. Slotting in a good helping of action, romance and humour also goes some way to making Harris' movie a worthy modern day Oater. True, the cliche's are many, but Harris wasn't after revisionism, he wanted (and got) old fashioned Oater values. A film that follows those old beloved B movie Western conventions, but one that still retains a topical criminal thread. The best reward in the film comes from spending time with Harris & Mortensen. Their characters are nicely drawn and not over cooked by the script. Cole & Hitch are devoted to each other, lots of straight love and respect exists between the two men. Their bond is believably brought to life by Harris & Mortensen, who formed a friendship when making A History Of Violence for David Cronenberg in 2005. Zellweger and Irons too are not without high merit value. She (stepping in when Diane Lane walked over delays), is pleasing and captivates in what is the critical glue role. While he is dandy dastardly supreme, a well spoken villain of much intelligence and crafty as a cat. Appaloosa is a subtle film, both in story and as a technical production. Beal's score is unobtrusive, while Semler's photography manages to deliver that old fashioned feel that Harris was after (the low lighting for the interiors is particularly on the money) . Harris' direction is smooth and unhurried in pace, with the odd inspired bit thrown in for good measure (check out the up-tilt camera work during a train on a bridge sequence). While the production design can't be faulted. All that and you got the likes of Henriksen and Timothy Spall in the support cast too. A lovely film that is as tight as the friendship at its core. 7.5/10