I went to the LA premiere of "Appaloosa" tonight. Before the screening an executive described the film to the audience as Ed Harris's vision and introduced Harris as the most obsessive filmmaker he has ever worked with. Thus, I thought Ed Harris was just being humble in telling the crowd, "we made the film for you to enjoy, so enjoy it."
The film is somewhat enjoyable. The scenery, sets and costumes are beautiful, the gunplay is fun and the dialogue is funny and even witty at times. Maybe this is what drew such great actors to do the movie.
Problem is that when I see Viggo Mortensen character in the movie, I think he would have been a great Doc Holliday. Both the characters and plot feel too familiar. I felt the plots of a Wyatt Earp tale, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and an Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot love triangle were incorporated into this film. Maybe elements of these plots are used here and weaved together somewhat differently, but it was still apparent to me.
One scene that is unique in the movie attempts to draw sympathy from the audience for Renée Zellweger's character, but there is no follow up. The motivations for her actions in the film are never explained. Frustrating.
I know why Ed Harris told me at the beginning to "...just enjoy..." and I will try not to hold won't hold anything against his movie. As I see it George Clooney and pals like to make heist movies for fun and I don't hold it against them. So why can't Harris, Mortensens, Irons and others make westerns for fun? Well, "Ocean's 11" was officially a re-make, paying homage to the rat pack, which was very enjoyable. They then copied the same formula twice, which weren't so good. So in comparison, Harris in making this movie has skipped the remake and given us "Butch Cassidy...2".
The film is somewhat enjoyable. The scenery, sets and costumes are beautiful, the gunplay is fun and the dialogue is funny and even witty at times. Maybe this is what drew such great actors to do the movie.
Problem is that when I see Viggo Mortensen character in the movie, I think he would have been a great Doc Holliday. Both the characters and plot feel too familiar. I felt the plots of a Wyatt Earp tale, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and an Arthur-Guinevere-Lancelot love triangle were incorporated into this film. Maybe elements of these plots are used here and weaved together somewhat differently, but it was still apparent to me.
One scene that is unique in the movie attempts to draw sympathy from the audience for Renée Zellweger's character, but there is no follow up. The motivations for her actions in the film are never explained. Frustrating.
I know why Ed Harris told me at the beginning to "...just enjoy..." and I will try not to hold won't hold anything against his movie. As I see it George Clooney and pals like to make heist movies for fun and I don't hold it against them. So why can't Harris, Mortensens, Irons and others make westerns for fun? Well, "Ocean's 11" was officially a re-make, paying homage to the rat pack, which was very enjoyable. They then copied the same formula twice, which weren't so good. So in comparison, Harris in making this movie has skipped the remake and given us "Butch Cassidy...2".