Johnson County War

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing quasi-historical Western from Hallmark
Review: The Johnson County War is a great subject for an authentic Western, and Hallmark's track record (plus Larry McMurtry's pen) would seem to bode well for this production. Unfortunately it's not very good, despite magnificent scenery and adequate performances by Tom Berenger & Michelle Forbes. Rachel Ward steals her few brief scenes, but Burt Reynolds's acting is almost as garish as his face lift. If 60 of its 180 tiresome, cliche-ridden minutes were cut, it might make an above-average made-for-TV movie, but even that drastic snooze-factor reduction would fail to rescue it from mediocrity among theatrical releases.

Rating:
Summary: By the numbers...
Review: The movie is beautifully filmed and generally well-acted. Tom Berenger is ...like Kevin Costner in OPEN RANGE...excellent and low key restrained as Cain; Luke Perry is fine as his wild man/desperado "little brother". The rest of the ensemble cast is good, but ueven. (Especially Burt Reynolds' role as "legally deputized" killer-villain Hunt Lawton: Casting should have given Marshall Burt a devil's tail and horns along with his face lift and Ultra Bright leer). Rachel Ward is,however,exceptionally appealing as bold and brASSy Johnson County Whore,"Queenie".(The scene of her being hanged is powerful.) The nefarious oligarchy of British robber/cattle barrons often devolves into unintentional farce that might've given Monty Python a run for their money. Unfortunately the project is utterly predictable in plot. Tom Berenger's climactic "9 Lives of El Faggo Baca" stand against a virtual army of lackey gunmen and Texas mercenaries strains credibility. Not because--like at THE ALAMO--such odds were not sometimes faced, but because of poor plot pacing which nearly reduces heroism to PM satire. PACING is,in fact, major flaw of JOHNSON COUNTY WAR. The battle is certainly worth a look. But "by the numbers" serial quality of JCW makes the War dramatically both unwinnable and unmemorable...

Rating:
Summary: Western fans take notice!
Review: This is a very uneven movie, especially from an acting standpoint. Tom Berenger and Luke Perry have moments in which they seem to be asleep while acting, but then are just fine at other points. Burt Reynolds is woefully miscast. Adam Storke and Michelle Forbes are fine throughout, though. As for the story, it is a mishmash of just about every Western cliche you can think of, none of which pay off very well, as the movie comes to a flat conclusion. Still, there are occasional flashes of inspiration, so if you're a die-hard fan of either Westerns or writer Larry McMurtry (who adapted the screenplay), then this might be worth a look.

Rating:
Summary: Not terrible, not great
Review: This is a very uneven movie, especially from an acting standpoint. Tom Berenger and Luke Perry have moments in which they seem to be asleep while acting, but then are just fine at other points. Burt Reynolds is woefully miscast. Adam Storke and Michelle Forbes are fine throughout, though. As for the story, it is a mishmash of just about every Western cliche you can think of, none of which pay off very well, as the movie comes to a flat conclusion. Still, there are occasional flashes of inspiration, so if you're a die-hard fan of either Westerns or writer Larry McMurtry (who adapted the screenplay), then this might be worth a look.

Rating:
Summary: Accurate,Stirring,Exciting
Review: This movie and its' actors really hit home with the reality of their characters. Tom Berenger was right on the money, sincere and moving. I really enjoy a good, well-documented western, and this was definitely high on my list of movies that I can and sit and watch more than twice. Real, sincere, accurate,moving,thought-provoking. Great job!

Rating:
Summary: One of the WORST Western Movies ever seen
Review: Well, the shooting budget was obviously plenty, hiring so many hands in the movies, and with some of the best actors known in the Western movies. But the script was so lousy, loose, and most of all, so boring. That town looked so brandnewly built just for the movie, the so-called social club looked so modern, an English lordship/badguy with butler. One of the three brother was dry-gulched and so the elder brother took over the widow. One of the homested guys was murdered, then the younger brother took the newly widowed woman into bed. Hung a woman even she's protitute was the time seen in a Western. This low moral standard kind stuff would never have seen or happened in Louise L'amour's or Zane Grey's grest Western scenes. The whole movie dragged with too many and too much blahblahblah small talks, typical Larry McMurty's style, mucho small talks, not quiet, hardworking cowhands. Besides all of these nuisances, the background music almost never stopped, so disturbing and so bothering to watch and listen. This is one of the worst Western which should have been great, if the screenplay was handled in a better and tightener way. I just couldn't help using the FastForward to finish this lousy movie and wishing never watched it in the first place. Amen, I rest my case.

Rating:
Summary: Well Done Western Saga
Review: When I saw this title come up as a "pre-release", I had to check the movie data bases to see what it was all about. It is based on a book called "Riders of Judgement", which is, in turn, based on actual historical events involving rich land hungry bad guys and small ranchers, farmers and homesteaders, who, in reality, were not quite the good guys you see in this film. It is really well written, acted and filmed, and it never drags, despite the nearly three hours that it runs. Luke Perry and Tom Berenger are the brothers who try to resist the efforts of the rich members of the "Cheyenne Social Club" to run them off their ranches. The film script was written by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, and what a fine job they did. Berenger, an actor who generally delivers a good performance is realy in top form here, as are most of the cast. Casting Burt Reynolds as the bad guys' hired gun/corrupt marshal is the only weak element in the cast; I find his work overall to be generally light weight, and here, he isn't a "bad" enough villain. The original TV rendition was a Hallmark work, which is usually a plus for me because those folks take their sponsorship seriously, and the transfer to DVD is first rate, including some spectacular scenery. If you like a good adventure film, you can't go wrong here.