Tombstone

Rating:
Summary: One of the best Westerns in decades
Review: 1993's Tombstone is one of the most watchable and entertaining Western's made in decades. Faulted by critics for being fast and loose with historical truth, Tombstone gets alot of mileage out of its great cast and good script. The film follows the Earp family, Wyatt (Russell) and Virgil (Elliott) are retired lawmen determined to turn their energies towards commerce. But the wanton violence of the Cowboy gang finally drives them back into the arms of the law. Russell understates the role of Wyatt Earp, and it works well. The production values are a balance between gritty and stylish. Throw into the mix a truly memorable performance by Val Kilmer as the sickly, and deadly, John "Doc" Holiday, plus some brilliant action scenes, and you have a Western that even people who hate Westerns can enjoy. The overpriced DVD has a decent transfer, but the lack of extras is pathetic for such a popular film. If ever a DVD deserved a "special edition".

Rating:
Summary: Tombstone
Review: Excellent characters chosen for this portrayal. Val Kilmer presents Doc Holiday in a sensitive, amusing manner. Kurt Russell very believable as Wyatt Earp. Sam Elliott always a great character player in his many roles. Use of many stars was a surprise to this viewer. I would recommend this movie to all action, Western lovers.

Rating:
Summary: Every scene counts - Tombstone is wonderful
Review: Tombstone is fast paced, fun, and packed with quality acting/writing. Historically padded, but who cares. Pure entertainment.

A must see. Val Kilmer is phenominal, shooting at OK Coral is amazing. You will love Doc Holiday. Buy it.

Rating:
Summary: Wyatt and Doc: Together Again
Review: Inspired by my recent visit to Tombstone (the town), I finally saw "Tombstone" (the movie), which I've heard so much about. Everyone talks about how great it is, especially Val Kilmer's performance as Doctor John Henry Holliday. All I can say is: not nearly as good as the rival project, "Wyatt Earp."
First of all, "Tombstone" is just plain boring. There's no getting around that. Second of all, the character of Wyatt Earp changes so completely too quickly for it to be believable or understandable. At first, he's lecturing his brothers that there is no feeling worse than taking another man's life. He'd never want to have that feeling again, which is why he is so adamant about not returning to law enforcement. Then, out of nowhere, he says to Virgil W. Earp, "maybe you better swear me in." Where'd that come from? After the gunfight at the O. K. Corral (which, by the way, was so poorly choreographed that I would have had no way of knowing who was fighting the Earps if I hadn't already known), Wyatt temporarily seems to return to his old pacifist self, during a quiet conversation with Morgan Earp (Bill Paxton). But then he makes a COMPLETE reversal, going off on a freakin' killing spree for the remainder of the movie. What the hell happened? I know he's out for revenge, but this movie doesn't set that up as an adequate motivation for a complete character reversal.
A word or two (or more) about the cast: Kurt Russell certainly looks like Wyatt, but Sam Elliott is so much older than Kurt and Bill that I had a hard time believing that they were brothers. I don't know, maybe that really was the age difference between Virgil and Wyatt and Morgan, but it just isn't convincing in this movie. As for Powers Booth's performance as "Curly" Bill Brocius, all I can say is, "over the top." And Jason Priestley seemed too 1990s to play a character from the 1880s. Who the heck was he, anyway? All I know is his name is Billy, although whether he is Billy Clanton, Billy Clayborne, or some other Billy is never established. Finally, I can see why Kilmer's performance won such raves. He is surrounded by performers who seem so detached from their characters that Kilmer looks impressive by comparison. The only character and performance I found really interesting in the whole movie was a minor one: Michael Biehn as John Ringo. He comes across as somehow both likable and menacing. I like how Biehn plays with this dual nature of his character: You never know when he might shoot you or turn around and suddenly start acting like a civilized, reasonable man. If the whole movie was as good as Biehn's performance, I would have liked "Tombstone" a whole lot better. But it's not, so I didn't. If you want to see a movie about this gunfight that is actually good, see "Wyatt Earp" instead. It is not flawless, but it is better than "Tombstone."

Rating:
Summary: Tombstone
Review: I had heard from many that saw this movie that it was a really great historical view of the Earps in Tombstone. After viewing it myself I can only say one thing.Disappointing.From the begining this movie is Hollywood at its best.Maybe I am to much of a of a history buff and having recently visited Tombstone on vacation I can only laugh while watching.I know that Hollywood takes liberites with historical facts,but the cowboys wearing red sashes takes it a bit to far.While there are sections of the movie that are very good there are also sections that are very bad. Kurt Russell and Sam Elliot do a cedible job portraying the Earp brothers.Val Kilmer portrays a very glib Doc Holiday and while I didn't think that his portrayal of Doc was as good as Dennis Hoppers portrayal in "Wyatt Earp" Kilmer probally turns in the best most consistant performance in the whole movie. In the begining of this movie, the plot flows well and what starts out as a pretty good movie gets stopped dead it its tracks by the entrance of Dana Delany's character Josie Marcus. Why the writers injected a syrupy extra marital love interest into this script for Wyatt is beyond me.Delanys portrayal of her character is so mushy as to be out of place with the main storyline.I seriously doubt that the real Josie Marcus was anywhere near the way that she was portrayed in this movie.Overall Delanys portrayal lacks credibility,and the scenes with Delany only stalls the plot flow of the main story line of the Earp Clanton gang feud.Then there is the big scene in the movie,the OK Coral. The shootout at the OK Coral is pure Hollywood and laughable lasting far to long as well as being totally historically inaccurate.The overall acting in the second half of the movie is not that good. Even Russell loses some of his character edge in the second half as the plot becomes somewhat sloppy and disjointed.By the time you reach the end of this movie there is only one thing to say. Whew Finally. Overall this movie was a disappointment and not what I expected.From my point of view if you want a much better Tombstone movie with better acting and a script that is much closer to being based on fact and not fiction skip "Tombstone" and watch the Cosner flick "Wyatt Earp".

Rating:
Summary: Frontier justice
Review: TOMBSTONE must rank as one of the best westerns in the post-Peckinpah/Leone era. This is due to many of the traditional elements that made the western genre a uniquely American genre, not to mention the disillusionment that the characters in Peckinpah's and Leone's films felt.

This film focuses on legendary Kansas lawman Wyatt Earp who hopes to stick with retirement from law enforcement by journeying with his brothers (Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton) to the Arizona mining town of Tombstone, along with Wyatt's good friend Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer). The trouble is, however, Tombstone is a practically lawless place. And when a group of outlaws known as the Cowboys begin to turn Tombstone's streets red with the blood of innocent people, the stage is set--not merely for the celebrated gunfight at the O.K. Corral, but the revenge that comes after Paxton is killed and Elliott wounded.

Much has been made of Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday, and he certainly does a lot with the role. I myself think that the real star is the often underrated Russell, who looks virtually like a dead ringer for Wyatt Earp. So often, Russell's talents were underutilized by filmmakers. Here, he really shows his mettle as an actor. Powers Boothe and Michael Biehn, as the head honchos of the Cowboys, make for incredible heavies; and the legendary Charlton Heston has a cameo as well.

Well directed by George Cosmatos (RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART 2), scored by Bruce Broughton, and excellently photographed by William Fraker (BULLITT) on Arizona locations, TOMBSTONE is a must-see western, proof that there is still life in this genre if only Hollywood would return to it more often.

Rating:
Summary: Kilmer shines in one of the best modern Western flicks
Review: Kurt Russell may get top billing, and in fairness his performance is solid. In fact, most of the cast offer above average performances, with few if any exceptions. Head and shoulders above the rest is Val Kilmer, who brings a level of flamboyancy to the character of Doc Holliday that makes him immediately likeable, not to mention a sharp contrast to the typically reserved characters of the Earp brothers. Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday would have loved Las Vegas.

The film itself offers a re-telling of the classic gunfight at the OK Corral, and the events preceding and following it. Naturally, the film's portrayal is very sympathetic to the Earp partisans.

The gunfight sequences are well done, the film is paced well, and while the plot offers no big surprises, it uses the classic Western movie template with skill, even working in a romance sub-plot to appeal to the women in the modern audience.

Kilmer's portrayal of Holliday is worth the price of admission alone, but the fact is that a talented cast and a good picture stand behind him as well. Destined to be one of the great modern Western movies.

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite films!
Review: This movie is very powerful. It tells the story of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday and the famous scene at the OK Corall.

The scene in the movie with the shooting at the OK Corall is depicted exactly as it happened, to a T, according to court papers. When I learned that, I was so in awe of the film, especially this scene, all though it was a terrible thing that happened.

I absolutely love Val Kilmer's performance as Doc Holiday. And I'm appaled he was never even nominated for an Oscar! He should have won the Oscar!

This part, as well as his role as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's The Doors, prooves that Kilmer is a very, very talented man who moreless "becomes" a character, rather than merely plays it.

I also loved Kurt Russle as Wyatt Earp. I much prefer Tombstone and the actors in it, to Wyatt Earp with Kevin Costner.

I saw Wyatt Earp after Tombstone and it just didn't seem right.

This is a wonderful movie with wonderful talent, but, it's very violent, of course.

Rating:
Summary: Spectacular!!
Review: This may not be the most accurate movie on Wyatt Earp and friends, but it is the most interesting and entertaining!! Val Kilmer, Kurt Russell, Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton are just incredible! We have tried to watch "Wyatt Earp" with Kevin Costner, but after this movie, it is really dull!

My husband and I watched "Tombstone" AGAIN last night (for the umpteenth time!) and again we laughed a lot and replayed favorite scenes. This movie should certainly be in your collection - you will watch it many times! It quickly became a favorite of ours. "Tombstone" is also very quotable... especially Doc's lines (such as: "Wyatt, I am rolling"; "You're a daisy if you do" and "You're no daisy").

This is an engrossing movie with more in it than just the OK Corral (that is just a highlight!). The movie is action packed and moves quickly. The characters are well developed and so you feel pain when they feel pain and you get excited at the end when Wyatt seeks the reckoning! I think that two of the best acted scenes are: 1) During the fight at the OK Corral, Bill Paxton as Morgan REALLY looks worried and scared and then very distressed after he kills that guy and 2) the scene when Morgan gets killed and everyones reactions to that. The supporting cast is superb.

In short, excellent, spectacular, well filmed, well acted, well scripted movie!

Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest Westerns ever!
Review: I really did enjoy this movie! The same year that "Tombstone" played at theaters "Wyatt Earp" was also released. Both films are very good, but "Tombstone" edges "Wyatt Earp" as the better film of the two. The dvd is nice, but a special edition dvd should not be so far away. This title deserves a special edition with additional bonus material. However, the current dvd is the best transfer you will find on the market today. I highly recommend this dvd if you cannot wait for the arrival of a special edition!