Rating: 
Summary: GOOD EASTWOOD WESTERN
Review: I remember seeing this every year from about '73 to '76 on network TV, and enjoyed it even more on DVD. The movie starts a little slow, Clint's character seems tame at first (by his standards), but he picks it up quickly as he throws one of Robert Duvall's "hired hands" down a flight of stairs. After that, it's Clint all the way as you know him! He has some classic one-liners, which is entertainment in itself if you like the Eastwood style of westerns. Robert Duvall played a great "bad" guy role in this film, too.
Rating: 
Summary: Poor adaption of a campy show
Review: I wasn't a fan of the original Lost In Space television show, but the movie looked descent. I was dead wrong. The film, written by the writer of Batman and Robin, is one of the worst I've personally ever heard. Not only that, the acting was poor, Gary Oldman is great actor but this is one of his worst performances. I seriously recommend avoiding this film!
Rating:
Summary: One of Eastwood's poorest films
Review: In between acting in Don Siegel's classic DIRTY HARRY and directing the stunning HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER, Eastwood performed in the boring and bland JOE KIDD. Director John Sturges, who had once helmed such classic action pictures as BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, appears not to have cared one bit about the film and directs sluggishly. Even the action scenes, what few there are, drag. Eastwood's character is a pale version of "The Man With No Name"; he goes through the motions of the legendary persona, but without the mystique. The picture has some pretty location photography, and the climatic set-piece of a train crashing through a saloon is quite clever (although completely out of place) but ohterwise, JOE KIDD is a snore. Clint completist only need apply -- the appeal of a DVD edition may make them fork over the cash, but it'll probably collect dust on the shelf.
Rating: 
Summary: Justice, the impossible aim
Review: In this film Clint Eastwood has a name, for once. But he does not have a side. He is neither with the Mexicans whose lands are encroached upon by mining, railroad and farming companies, nor on the side of those same companies, nor on the side of the local sheriff and other people who live from and on those companies. He seems to demonstrate a lesson that the killers of the companies must be eliminated (justice cannot come from capitalistic gangs), that the guerilla warfare of the Mexicans must be stopped (justice cannot come from burning deeds and destroying simple people on the other side or having simple people on their side destroyed), and that the local authorities, including the judge and the sheriff must be taught how to impose justice against such disruptive forces. That seems to show that in that West there was no justice, because there never was any Joe Kidd to impose the respect of such rules and laws, so that the killers manipulated judges and sheriffs by putting themselves over the law, by being outlaws, so that the local American people got into posses and vigilanting groups, so that the local Mexicans, or populations, organized themselves and built up some ever-doomed resistance. Then a question is coming up from this film : How can justice triumph in such a situation ? And another question comes up : How has such an unlawful history imprinted its mark on present day reality ? What is the result in present day multiculturalism of such a false and biassed method to impose a one-way solution through plain bloody fighting, be it outlawed murders or righteous suicides ? Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, Paris Universities II and IX.
Rating: 
Summary: Not one of my favorites, but a good performance by Duvall
Review: Joe Kidd is not one of my favorite Eastern westerners (and Eastwood is my favorite, hands down, when it comes to films, and the Western is my favorite genre), but it does feature a good performance by Robert Duvall as the heavy. Clint's character is a little too reigned in in this one for my taste, until at the end he runs a steam engine through the town in order to extract some vengeance from Duvall's baddie.A good supporting cast (as is typical in an Eastwood flick), also featuring John Saxon and Don Stroud.
Rating: 
Summary: Actually, it's quite entertaining and enjoyable
Review: Listen folks, this movie isn't bad at all. It actually has several of Eastwoods best moves, although it doesn't focus on cliches'. If you get a kick out of watching Eastwood handle the "bad guys" in his movies, with his slick 'moves,' then you'll get a kick out of this flick. A good Clint movie to own, or at the very least, rent if you haven't seen it.
Rating:
Summary: Average Western, But The DVD Is Not The Complete Film.
Review: Since I never expected a whole lot out of JOE KIDD, I wasn't really disappointed. I was expecting a standard, light western, nothing more . . . . . and that's exactly what I got. JOE KIDD is about a guy named Joe Kidd (gasp!), who gets involved with a posse led by a rich land baron named Harlan (Robert Duvall). He's after the Hispanic revolutionary wannabe Luis Chama, who's causing a lot of trouble and stirring up the Spanish populace. And that's about it. Like I said, nothin' at all to get excited about, but Clint's mere presence can make a movie worth while. Unfortunately (and obviously), he's the highlight of the film, as the rest of the cast is just passing. Not even the great Robert Duvall seems to be interested in the picture, but who can blame him? Actually, the story has (or had) potential; it covers (or tries to) a lot of ground about loyalty, right vs. wrong, and it even raises the question of "What IS right?". But none of this is ever brought up to its full potential, and if it had, this may have been a truly great western. But alas, it is not so. All this is even more disappointing from the fact that this is a John Sturges film. This is the same man who helmed such masterpieces as THE GREAT ESCAPE and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN!?! Surprising, and utterly devastating. Not to say that JOE KIDD is a necessarily BAD film, far from it! It just isn't GREAT. And I shouldn't complain much, I guess; what the hell could you expect from a running time of 1 Hr. 28 Mins.? This is about thirty minutes short of what all westerns should be. But I must admit, the main theme present during the opening and closing credits is pretty cool! Along with the HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER re-release, all that has changed in this DVD is the cover and disc art. All there is for special features are production notes, cast and filmmakers' bios, and a theatrical trailer. Heck, even the production notes make the film sound tired! And the transfer ain't all that great, but it gets better as the film goes along. But the whole reason I lowered my rating down to two stars instead of three, is the fact that a certain scene (one of the best in the entire film) has been completely eliminated from the film! In it, more of the morality touches are discussed and brought into light. As well, it is this scene where Joe Kidd admits his love for Helen, a crucial element to the movie's impact! It's a short scene, but it remains one of the most impactful in the entire movie. I just watched it on AMC, and that scene was right there, playing out in front of me! This really ticks me off, the fact that along with miniscule extras and an average transfer, I can't even watch the complete film!!! Only worth buying if you're a big Eastwood fan/collector. For [$$$]... , I guess it ain't a big loss.
Rating:
Summary: Average Western, But The DVD Is Not The Complete Film.
Review: Since I never expected a whole lot out of JOE KIDD, I wasn't really disappointed. I was expecting a standard, light western, nothing more . . . . . and that's exactly what I got. JOE KIDD is about a guy named Joe Kidd (gasp!), who gets involved with a posse led by a rich land baron named Harlan (Robert Duvall). He's after the Hispanic revolutionary wannabe Luis Chama, who's causing a lot of trouble and stirring up the Spanish populace. And that's about it. Like I said, nothin' at all to get excited about, but Clint's mere presence can make a movie worth while. Unfortunately (and obviously), he's the highlight of the film, as the rest of the cast is just passing. Not even the great Robert Duvall seems to be interested in the picture, but who can blame him? Actually, the story has (or had) potential; it covers (or tries to) a lot of ground about loyalty, right vs. wrong, and it even raises the question of "What IS right?". But none of this is ever brought up to its full potential, and if it had, this may have been a truly great western. But alas, it is not so. All this is even more disappointing from the fact that this is a John Sturges film. This is the same man who helmed such masterpieces as THE GREAT ESCAPE and THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN!?! Surprising, and utterly devastating. Not to say that JOE KIDD is a necessarily BAD film, far from it! It just isn't GREAT. And I shouldn't complain much, I guess; what the hell could you expect from a running time of 1 Hr. 28 Mins.? This is about thirty minutes short of what all westerns should be. But I must admit, the main theme present during the opening and closing credits is pretty cool! Along with the HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER re-release, all that has changed in this DVD is the cover and disc art. All there is for special features are production notes, cast and filmmakers' bios, and a theatrical trailer. Heck, even the production notes make the film sound tired! And the transfer ain't all that great, but it gets better as the film goes along. But the whole reason I lowered my rating down to two stars instead of three, is the fact that a certain scene (one of the best in the entire film) has been completely eliminated from the film! In it, more of the morality touches are discussed and brought into light. As well, it is this scene where Joe Kidd admits his love for Helen, a crucial element to the movie's impact! It's a short scene, but it remains one of the most impactful in the entire movie. I just watched it on AMC, and that scene was right there, playing out in front of me! This really ticks me off, the fact that along with miniscule extras and an average transfer, I can't even watch the complete film!!! Only worth buying if you're a big Eastwood fan/collector. For [$$$]... , I guess it ain't a big loss.
Rating:
Summary: Standard Clint.
Review: Standard Clint. what else do i need to say. If you dont know classic clint ...please watch "The Good The Bad and the Ugly" first. Then worry about this one. That being said this is a pretty good one...with a decent job done by Robert Duval the bad guy.
6/10 Clint scale
8/10 regular western scale.
Rating:
Summary: Eastwood has gotta be Kidding
Review: The film is neither great nor forgettable. The presence of Clint makes it worthwhile seeing. However, Sturges direction leaves much to be desired. Joe Kidd has the feel of a made for TV movie converted to the big screen because of the popularity of the star. The pacing is slow and dragging. Eastwood appearing in derby hat as a dandy dude doesn't quite make it. It is a finesse type of a slapstick western without being funny. Even Lalo Schiffrin's jazzy type of scoring is totally out of whack. But hey, Eastwood's in it and its a western, so lap it up. I Kidd you not.
|
