Rated: R
Running Time: 114 minutes
Year: 2008
Nudity: Renee Zellweger's or maybe her stand-in's butt .
One sentence: Unpredictable western movie.
I went into this movie knowing nothing about it at all except that it was set in the old west. This movie was enjoyable. There are good gunfights, witty dialog, great costumes and an interesting turn of events that I didn't predict. I'd have to say that this movie is more about the journey than about having everything resolved in the end.
It's about two friends, Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen), who are hired to police the small town of Appaloosa which is at the mercy of a rancher named Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons). Virgil and Everett are used to ranchers like Bragg, but they are thrown for a loop when a widow (Renee Zellweger) comes to the town and Virgil lets his emotions get in the way.
I think this is an interesting story about survival. I felt that Zellweger's character could have used more explanation, but ultimately, I think she's just doing what she thinks she has to do in order to survive. Much like Irons' character, he too is surviving the only way he knows how. It doesn't make either of them right, but I found it interesting to see their views explored.
Like I said before, this movie is more about the journey and just watching the story of two old friends and colleagues. So if you are the type who likes to have a clear resolution at the end, then I say skip this one. I think it's worth seeing at the theater for the overall cinematography, but if you don't care about that stuff, then just rent it.
