- - -

 Ed Harris has not wandered off into unexplored lands and colonized the western in his own way. In fact, in Appaloosa, we see much that is  reminiscent of John Ford’s 1946 classic My Darling Clementine - Ford could have made Appaloosa. But what Harris does accomplish though, through this adaptation of Robert B. Parker’s 2005 book, is the creation of a work that rehabilitates the original western to a point where it can unite with a modern society completely fascinated with guns, blood and bullets.

The mysteries and the eerie air of realism that was found in Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven are shrouded in Harris’ second directorial effort. His first effort in 2000 where he dealt with an abstract painter (Pollack) couldn’t be more different to the straight forward approach that he uses in Appaloosa. What he brings to the table is what The Assassination of Jesse James brought last year. The haracter-driven and emotionally gratifying scenes completely make up for Harris’ decision to limit shootout scenes. These two most recent westerns want to say something about humanity and conscience while rarely pulling the trigger and the simplicity of such scenes engages us more than a gunfight would. It is impossible to diminish the quality present in scenes that focus on quaint diners, the principles of a man, and a debate dealing with which kind of curtains to hang in a home being built for a lover on Main St.

To say something about humanity and conscience you need characters who understand that and who are able to convey such feeling. Virgil Cole (Harris) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) are gun-for-hires. They come as a pair, and have been together for quite some time. They come off as two friends who have seen many things and who have been through the worst of times together. The gestures of their communication prove they have stories to share and that they are comfortable around one another. Harris and Mortensen were together in 2005 for A History of Violence. There, both actors let their emotions flow out. But in complete contrast, their acting in Appaloosa is mostly silent and relies upon restrained gestures, and that’s what makes their performances stick in our minds while kicking us in the gut.

- - -

- - -

When they roll into Appaloosa, NM, a town ridden with fear courtesy of a venial rancher called Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons) and his handful of men (who, even if all were combined, still cannot equal his callous attitude), they sign up to purge the injustice. Virgil and Everett will become marshal and deputy only if they can carry out the law by their own means, which they do. Both  of them show off their talent, and they have lots of it. Their elegance and arrogance is shown in their silence, in Everett’s facial hair and the glistening glint in Virgil's eye. They’re both great in their own right, but each is man enough not to flaunt it.

Appaloosa is more like a buddy film or a romance with the occasional crack of a delicate joke than a western. Drawing a stunning portrait of its characters, it clings to them and shows us the human side instead of the worn-out macho image of the ruthless cowboy we’ve seen countless times. We witness this transformation within the first fifteen minutes of the film when Allison French (Renée Zellweger), a widow who plays piano as well as men, arrives in town. Coming off from a train she makes her way through the dusty plains and the hazy sun. Everett is watching from a distance and seeing something neither he nor Virgil ever had the chance to appreciate - a woman.

When Virgil tells Everett, “I love being with her,” the emotion captured in Harris’s telling and Mortensen’s reaction  is beautiful to watch. This is the same man who once told his deputy that “Feelings get you killed.” These two men aren’t afraid to show their affection or love, nor are they afraid to show their reaction to loss or their extreme yearning to be loved. Love has the ability to dethrone the animal instinct in a man and shake up the foundations of a town that didn’t know the existence of it. Appaloosa does an extraordinary job at locating this material and making it it's heart and running with it to the very end.

Film Rating: *** 1/2 out of ****

Official [ Movie Site ]

x

Set as favorite

Bookmark

Email This

Hits: 450

Comments (2)

I love Viggo Mortensen

I hope this movie's good....Viggo Mortensen is awesome. And I love Ed Harris.

Selena , October 07, 2008

LOVED the book

optimistic for the movie. Cast is perfect though so looking forward to it and the sequel, "Resolution!"

jblippman , October 07, 2008

Write comment

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

Add Comment Preview