Paul drifts along through the desert on his horse with his dog trailing alongside him, bound for Mexico. Fleeing from what? We don't know, but certainly something in his past. A shifty-looking preacher (Burn Gorman) flags him down, explains that his broke down mule impedes him from spreading the word of God to the sinners of Denton, the town lying just over the next hill in the valley below, and then attempts to rob Paul of his horse. This does not go well, and it is quickly apparent Paul is no stranger to violence. He takes mercy on the preacher and continues on to Denton, with a certain apprehension, but it being the most direct route he sees no reason to go out of his way.
Once in Denton, a virtual ghost town, Paul finds a sign hanging from the door of the General Store reading 'Be back in an hour'. At a loss for how to kill an hour in this nothing town, he spots a saloon and heads over. Inside a traveling salesman presents his wares to Gilly Martin (James Ransome), the local blowhard and son of the town Marshal (John Travolta), and his half-wit companions (played by Toby Huss, Larry Fessenden, and Tommy Nohilly). Gilly needlessly intimidates and emasculates the salesman, strutting around like the Big Bad Wolf. Inevitably his glare comes to rest upon the stranger at the bar. Paul tries to ignore Gilly's provocations, but eventually the two come to blows and Gilly gets laid out. Then the Marshal (John Travolta) being as diplomatic as possible, knowing his son's temperament, tells Paul to leave town. And so he does.
That should be the end of it, but of course some men don't know when they're beat, least of all men like Gilly. Thus a classic western revenge drama unfolds.
With little dialogue Hawke emits a silent intensity, carrying the film in a great performance. Ransome is perfect as the blustering Gilly, grating on everyone around him with his overconfidence and false bravado. Travolta gives a good turn as the Marshal, the only character with sense enough to see the threat that Paul presents, attempting to avoid a confrontation. This is a rare foray out the horror genre for West, primarily known for films like The House of the Devil (2009), Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever (2009) and The Innkeepers (2011), but a welcome one. He brings those gruesome skills to bear, making the deaths especially bloody and violent. The score by Jeff Grace evokes those Ennio Morricone composed for Sergio Leone. The cinematography by Eric Robbins along with West's editing combine to create a precise and economical pacing that keeps the film running like a Swiss watch. My only criticism is Taissa Farmiga's performance as Mary-Anne, the girl who works in the local hotel and takes a liking to Paul, trying to help him on his journey toward revenge. Her performance felt a bit forced and with such a small cast, it stuck out like a sore thumb. Other than that and a few scenes toward the climax which I think slowed the pace and seemed superfluous, I really enjoyed the film. All in all: a great, fast-moving modern western. Check it out.
My Rating:
The Trailer:
No comments:
Post a Comment