Appaloosa (2008)
Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renée Zellweger
Set in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around a pair of hired guns (Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris) who come to clean up a dangerous town run by a ruthless, powerful rancher (Jeremy Irons) and his band of outlaws. While boldly bringing new order to the town, the two fearle... (read more) Set in the Old West territory of New Mexico, "Appaloosa" revolves around a pair of hired guns (Viggo Mortensen and Ed Harris) who come to clean up a dangerous town run by a ruthless, powerful rancher (Jeremy Irons) and his band of outlaws. While boldly bringing new order to the town, the two fearless lawmen meet a provocative outsider (Renée Zellweger) whose unconventional ways threaten to destroy their decade-old bond.
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R, 1 hr. 48 min.
Directed by:
Ed Harris
Release Date: Oct 03, 2008
DVD Release Date: Jan 13, 2009
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Flixster User Reviews
Atmospheric and true to the western style but also kind of self indulgent. Some of the characters' choices are illogical and Renee Zellweger is really annoying but the movie is worth watching for Viggo mortensen and Ed Harris' chemistry alone.
i enjoyed this thoroughly, partly because i have deep affection,( read obession), for viggo mortensen, and think ed harris is a wonderful actor. neither disappoint in this casually paced western. there are no shoot-outs aplenty, no cowboys and india... (read more) i enjoyed this thoroughly, partly because i have deep affection,( read obession), for viggo mortensen, and think ed harris is a wonderful actor. neither disappoint in this casually paced western. there are no shoot-outs aplenty, no cowboys and indians face off ( not the sort you are expecting anyway), but what makes the movie charming is the relationship between the two lead characters. even though the story line is fairly simple, its still entertaining to watch. renee zellweger could have stayed home in her terry robe and bunny slippers though. just saying!
It had most of the necessary components but didn't really come together for me. I would assuredly recommend it if one likes the genre though.
Kind of disappointing. Still good though don't get me wrong. Viggo and Ed were sexcellent to say the least. The problem though is that things moved kind of fast. It didn't give you enough time to appreciate the relationships cultivated in this movie.... (read more) Kind of disappointing. Still good though don't get me wrong. Viggo and Ed were sexcellent to say the least. The problem though is that things moved kind of fast. It didn't give you enough time to appreciate the relationships cultivated in this movie. So when something bad happens with it you don't really care all that much.
Also I can't really decide whether I even liked Ed Harris's character or not. I liked how they tried to play him as a man pretending at sophistication. They tried to show him as a man whose life is so enveloped by his job he doesn't really know anything else, but tries to any ways. My problem with it is that it kind of takes you by surprise at first, he seems to just jump into a new character. Although as the movie progresses you start to understand his sudden jumps in personalities a little more.
Pretty much a good film, just not good enough to survive through the ages.
Average, nothing exemplary, only fun for the Butch Cassidy and sundance kid relationships between mortensen and harris.
This is a VERY slow film, but, if you're patient, then you'll find that it is wonderfully paced with a satisfying ending. The chemistry between Harris and Mortensen is just awesome. Viggo is SO good here, so cool. This is definitely worth watching ju... (read more) This is a VERY slow film, but, if you're patient, then you'll find that it is wonderfully paced with a satisfying ending. The chemistry between Harris and Mortensen is just awesome. Viggo is SO good here, so cool. This is definitely worth watching just be warned that it feels long and you'll be thankful its only 108 mins.
Could have been great, but Renee Zellweger is the weakest link, and Jeremy Irons should have had more screen time.
That was a very nice movie, no masterpiece but really more than decent. Great actors, nice story, well made, in short I liked it and I would recommend it.
Where the beginning looked like it was announcing a typical western, it evolves to unexpected characters, and unexpected decisions. No entirely good or bad people, all ageing, quite true. It's kind of refreshing to see this type of movie, so long aft... (read more) Where the beginning looked like it was announcing a typical western, it evolves to unexpected characters, and unexpected decisions. No entirely good or bad people, all ageing, quite true. It's kind of refreshing to see this type of movie, so long after the western age.
Critic Reviews
From its first, mournful brass theme, Ed Harris's Appaloosa nails the look and feel of a classic Western. This is an old-style, laconically macho, six-shooting horse opera made with an obvious and unapologetic love of the genre.full review
What is seductive about Appaloosa is its easygoing rhythm.full review
This is an honest tale of the camaraderie between a pair of lawmen simply trying to do a job.full review
Can Ed Harris, of all people, save the Western for this generation?full review
It's a pleasure to watch such gifted actors interact in a classic genre.full review
Appaloosa shows a square jaw and a steely gaze, but also a smile and a wink.
Appaloosa is gripping entertainment that keeps springing surprises.full review
Appaloosa demonstrates a better sense of history than Paul Thomas Anderson's hysterical There Will Be Blood. But Harris isn't a good enough director; he loses the mythical air that drives home a great Western's point.full review
It's high time for the western to be resuscitated as a genre; a picture that just pokes along amiably isn't enough to get the job done.full review
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