Rating: 
Summary: Boring boring boring
Review: Sorry but that movie was boring from the very beginning to the end. There is no action. Only blah blah blah. And the scenario is too classic.
Rating: 
Summary: Cowboys, Bad Guys, No CGI - Oh My
Review: I've been a Kevin Costner fan for a while now. Although after Waterworld I thought Costner was starting to get a little full of himself.Nevertheless, seeing Open Range changed all that. Costner plays a troubled character, beseiged by memories of the war and his actions in it. His character is reminiscient of Tom Selleck as Monty Walsh; hard, rugged, but undeiniably human. In a summer where the Rocky-on-a-horse rip-off Seabiscuit is winning acclaim just for simply not being a sequel, here is a story that actually says something. Boss (Robert Duvall) and Charley (Costner) are cattle drivers who just want to mind their own business on the grassy lands of the U.S. But some corrupt politicians want to charge them for grazing, so they commit some evil deeds to pressure the heroic duo. Boss and Charley are not violent men, but they have no qualms about violence when they must stand up for themselves. Here the film tells the story of protecting simple values with no pretensions of political correctness. They don't promote violence, but they acknowledge it is a fact. It's actually the opposite of Unforgiven. Instead of pretentiously criticizing violence while simultaneously glorifying it, Open Range presents violence as a simple reality, no judgements. Other elements of reality you get to see are actual dealings with the western prison system. There are no bar-pulling breakouts here. You just deal with the sheriff. The film's unique look comes from the color scheme. Open Range is green and wet. Most westerns are brown and dry. It's not better or worse, just different. That difference, combined with the story and the action, make Open Range the most intriguing western since The Quick and the Dead. In my opinion Open Range is Costner's best directing work and one of the summer's, and year's, best films.
Rating: 
Summary: Lonnie's Review
Review: The movie did not receive five stars due to the slowness of the developing story. However, you can see the reason for this is to develop the characters and show their close relationships. We can see how these characters came together and why the need for the big climax (OK Corral type of climax). The ending is worth the wait, and the strong performances turned in by Duvall and Costner were excellent. Own it because it needs to be seen repeatedly. This will become one of the classic Western movies.
Rating:
Summary: Open Range War
Review: I like Kevin Costner. I realize some of his movies have not been hits with the public, but I always at least rent them. Yes that includes Waterworld. Well anyway this one should be a pleasant surprise to anyone that likes westerns or good dramas. Any fan of movies like "Unforgiven" or "Tombstone" will definitely like it. Robert Duvall is great as an aging cattle punching "boss" that is on his last cattle drive. When his cattle graze near a town, the towns leading rancher makes it clear he doesn't like open grazing. Costner plays Duvall's trail boss. When one of his cattle punchers is severely beaten by the sheriff things start to heat up. When they kill him and a dog they want revenge no matter what the cost. Costner is a ex-Civil War Confederate renegade that is quite adept at taking the fight to the rancher. Not as long or drawn out as "Dances with Wolves" the pace is good. Well worth a look and not bad as an addition to your collection of Westerns. The DVD has good picture and sound quality and a couple extras.
Rating:
Summary: A Canadian Fan
Review: Living in Southern Ontario, Canada, I was thrilled to see this picture was filmed in one of our Western Provinces, Alberta, one of the three prairie provinces,contrary to another reviewer who placed this location as southern Canada--sorry, but Alberta is not considered southern Canada, but is located in the western part of Canada. With the majestic Rocky Mountains forever showing their beauty as a back-drop, I along with my family enjoyed this new Costner western. The casts' performances were all great, especially Duval and Jeeter. I can't remember Duval ever acting in other movies as a "comic relief" character, but his lines, body actions and facial expressions were great,and at the same time, his emotions were heartfelt and moving with "Button's" injuries and near-death experience. The deliberate slow pacing of the film was necessary to "flush out" the character development of all involved to give the viewer an opportunity to understand each character's background. There were many scenes which were thoroughly entertaining, especially when Duval and Costner are in the merchantile store, with Duval buying cigars (I'll bet they were Cubans, since Cubans can't be purchased in the U.S.,) and the Swiss chocolate bars which Duval proceeds to bit into and thoroughly enjoys, and shares it with the storekeeper who could not afford to purchase one for himself. Duval's other memorial scene, one of many, was his deliberate screeching of the violin in the jail cell, as he wakes up the culprits who initially set in motion Duval's revenge, and his comment as he shows the culprits their breakfast that he would be again serving them--the ether bottle. Our most favourite scene is of course the shootout--it was done with such realism--quick to the draw, and continous for about 15 minutes in length. My husband and I enjoyed this movie far more than Unforgiven, Clint Eastwood's western, except for Gene Haakman whose performance as as the "evil" sheriff was the best in Unforgiven. I rank this film up there with another great western, Shane. Lots of character development, interation between good and bad, redemption of the good trying to overcome their less-than-stellar past, etc. I recommend this movie to those who are not into "special effects", computer-generated movies. Duval, Costner, Benning and many others all gave wonderful performances, and I'm disappointed that no one got some sort of nomination for acting, especially Duval.
Rating:
Summary: GOOD old fashioned Western!
Review: Let me say this right off the bat. The main reason to watch this movie is Robert ("The Great Santini") Duvall! His performance in this movie is worth three times the price of admission. He goes from being a gentle father figure in one scene to a fearsome arbiter of frontier justice in the next. The plot is simple: a few cowboys go into town not looking for trouble and run into a corrupt cattle baron that doesn't want them around. Well no one tells Boss Spearman (Duvall) where he can or can't go, "That just sticks in his craw!" Kevin Costner and the always beautiful Annette Benning give good solid performances in supporting roles. The cinematogrophy also deserves special mention as the shots of the country side are beautiful to behold.
Rating: 
Summary: AS USUAL HISTORICAL INACCURACIES MAKE IT ONLY FAIR
Review: I suppose I should just learn to accept historical inaccuracties as a part of what Shelley termed, "poetic license," and similarly Coleridge's famous, "suspension of disbelief" dictum.
Let me say first that I gave this film 3 stars, which isnt bad, because it had many redeeming features, the acting, character development, manly existentialism. But I must say what ruined it for me right off the bat was seeing three guys driving cattle over open range to a never-disclosed location. In the Old West free grazing cattle drives weremanned my50 to a 1oo men and the cattle were in the thousands. Also, Duvall, when not being ambiguous ansd surly, and Costner, when not being laconic and lachrymose, didnt tend the cows at all! Then the formulaic parts kicked in. You knew the dog was going to die when so much was being made over him, and you knew the big guy was doomed, simply because he was so big and loveable. We get to the part of the movie now when tempers begin to percolate. Seking vengeance for the brutal killing of teir partner Costner and Duvall go about lolockingup the sherrif, shooting up bars and getting reading for the final confrontation with the evil rancher. Here we have to credit the movie with narrative pace and dramatic force, in addition to sentimental, if laconic burgeoning romance between the doctor's sister and Costner. Now comes the ridiculous part. There is a huge shootout which lasts about fifteen minutes and is utterly unbelievabe both historically and dramatically. Just before Costner and Duvall go out the talk about things they never talked about before, because now they think they are going to die. Butch and Sundance did it a lot better. In the Old West a fight like this would have been impossibe No one would have hung around long enough to be killed; they would havebeen running for the hills.By comparison, the gunfight at the ok corral, lasted all of 30 seconds.Costner fans and whipsaround both of his Colt 45s, an impossibility in this situation, and you'd be a damned fool to try it. The movie breaks the formula by having both of the leading actors make it; then Costner says he cant stay with the woman and rides off; of course, we all know he will be back after a few miles.Here's a suggestion for screenwrites and directors; next time a situation like this eventuates, have he girl saddle up her horse and run after the man! In sum, a pretty good flick, glaring historical inaccuracies, formulaic, contrivances, but still good overall. Movie needs to be about 45 minutes shorter. Get from Amazon the earlier version of Gunfight at O.K.Corral, Shane, High Noon, and/or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,based on a true story. Youll like thembetter than this pretty good, but not great, movie.
Rating:
Summary: A View of the Real West
Review: Having been raised on a Cattle Ranch in Eastern Oregon in the 1930s and 1940s and remembering clearly talks with my grandfather who was a cowboy and military scout between 1878 and onwards into the 20th Century, I can appreciate good western stories and presentations. Even with all the "hoopla" that Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven" got as well as his academy award, Kevin Costner has delivered in my opinion (and my grandfather's)a much more realistic view of the west and the people who lived it. But I guarantee you, unfortunately, he will not get an acadamy award. The story had range and believability and the actors delivered a realistic view of what life was in the west in the mid to late 1800's. It reads much like the journals my grandfather and grandmother left us to remember what life was like. Someday, holly-wierd will give Costner the credit he deserves. The man makes MOVIES that are entertaining and well scripted and acted. The Open Range problem especially of the late 1800's was a very bad problem for independent ranchers who were trying to move their herds, large or small, and water and feed them on drives to railheads. Many of them were small ranchers with small herds, and the Open Range was their only salvation. When the Ranchers like the one depicted in this movie started fencing the range, violence erupted as it was depicted in this movie and people got killed including "hired guns". Louie Lamour also wrote great depictions of the "people" of the west. Costner has portrayed these people well and given them great believability. My grandfather would have been pleased.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent western
Review: Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall are at their best in this movie. Great acting, story line, and directing. And lets not forget one the most realistic western gunfights I have seen in a long time. No shooting at the hips and hitting people in the head at 100 yards. Just an all out battle at point blank range. Its a must see for people that love westerns. And for thoughs who don't care for westerns may want to give this one a chance.
Rating:
Summary: Good, Not Great, Western
Review: I like westerns so I liked this movie even though I would not rank it with the great westerns (The Unforgiven, Pale Rider, Lonesome Dove, etc.) Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall, playing free grazers cast in the mold of the strong, silent, basically decent old cowboy,are very good in their respective roles, as are the rest of the cast, esp. Annette Benning and Michael Jeter. The story is pretty much standard western--good old guys are done dirt by bad guys (including Michael Gambon with an on-again-off-again Irish accent) and they seek revenge, naturally involving a gunfight. However, the quality of the cast lifts this above the ordinary, the scenery is beautiful, and the story is satisfying. I recommend it.
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