Appaloosa (2008) Movie Review

In the current Hollywood realm, the Western genre is at the bottom of the barrel. Once every few years audiences are given a Western film to see, in which last year we were treated the a remake of 3:10 to Yuma, and this year we have Ed Harris donning producing, co-writing, acting and directing credit for Appaloosa. The film has the feel and look of the Western and is well made by Harris, but it is more of a character study and has a lot more psychology in it than the traditional Western, which is a welcomed choice as well as being the reason for some of the film’s flaws.

Taking place in 1882 in New Mexico, Appaloosa is a small town that is being overrun by a murderous outlaw rancher named Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons). The three political powers of the town (Timothy Spall, James Gammon, and Tom Bower) come together and recruit the services of Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen), which are lawmen that go from town to town offering their services for a handsome fee. Virgil is the force of the two men that has a fast gun and more reserve tone. Everett is even more quiet, carries a bigger gun and helps his long-time friend Virgil finish his sentences with a better vocabulary. After being hired, the two immediately shoot three of Bragg’s men for breaking the law. As the two begin to take down Bragg and his gang, Allie French (Renee Zellweger) arrives in town and is a widowed piano player that not only has eyes for Virgil, but also for Everett.

Ed Harris’ last directorial attempt was with the terrific biopic Pollack and he paints the Western genre in this film with a sturdy brush. The atmosphere of the time period is beautifully captured and the entire feel of the film is of a solid western. There are not many gunfights in the film, but the few that Harris does orchestrate are quick and credible. The problems with the film come mostly from the script by Harris and Robert Knott and based on Robert B. Parker’s novel. The two characters of Virgil and Everett and great and both work well in each other’s realm that they are opposites, but have the same goal and way of thinking. The villain of Bragg is not given much depth, but is better portrayed as human rather than just a psychopath. The big problem of the script is the character of Allie French and her actions. Allie is more of a plot element or device in the film rather than a full fleshed character. Though her secret way of attraction is shown in the film, it is hardly explained. The entire third act of the film moves more into a Western of complex humanity, rather than Virgil and Everett chasing Bragg. The intentions are understood, but not really consistent for what was established in the first half of the film.

Harris is solid as the new Marshall in love for the first time in a while, and Viggo Mortensen continues to show his incredible versatility as an actor in his quiet, but forceful performance as Harris’ sidekick Everett. Jeremy Irons always makes a good villain and it is a joy to see him play a snake in a Western film. The downfall of the cast and real distraction of the film is the performance of Renee Zellweger as Allie French. One friend told me after seeing this film that she was just a fish out of water, which is a valid statement. Zellweger overplays most of her roles and does the same here and in a bad performance that she was miscast in.

Appaloosa is a Western film that for the most part works, but stumbles to through its third act and ending. Ed Harris does a terrific job with his numerous jobs on the film in delivering a more complex Western in the spirit of the traditional flare.