Rating: 
Summary: A Typical and Atypical Western
Review: "Quigley down Under" stars Tom Selleck in the title role as an American sharpshooter who answers a help wanted poster for the best rifleman in the world. The job is in Australia and Quigley travels there not knowing exactly what the job is.When he arrives in Australia, Quigley meets Crazy Cora, played by Laura San Giacomo. Cora is a slightly deranged American who believes Quigley to be her husband Roy. Cora continues to believe Quigley to be Roy even after he insists his name is Matthew Quigley. When Quigley finally meets his new employer, Elliott Marston (Alan Rickman), he is disgusted to find out that Marston wants him to shoot Aborigines. Cora has become the self-designated defender of the Aborigines and gets abused by Marston for it. Quigley intervenes and winds up roughing Marston up a bit. Marston then has Quigley and Cora beaten and left in the desert to die. "Quigley down Under" becomes, after this, a set piece movie about good versus evil. This is typical of the Western genre. In this Western though the good guys are a little "gooder" than usual. Both Quigley and Cora are pure hearts who only want what's right for the Aborigines. Cora is more determined to see it happen while Quigley is only interested in it so far as it gets him out of Australia alive. The most interesting part of the movie is the relationship between Quigley and Cora. In most Westerns the woman is a one-dimensional cutout whose only raison d'etre is to stand by in horror as her man goes out to fight the bad guy. However, Cora is a fully fleshed out individual with both a history before Quigley and an existence independent of him. She still does the "stand by in horror" thing; but, it's with a sense of grace and composure you don't often get from that role. From that relationship between Quigley and Cora is where I derive my four-star rating. Absent it, this movie would only get two stars from me. The Western is one of the most overdone genres in the cinema. To be able to find a unique spin on it after so many have been done is a well accomplished task. Another plus for "Quigley down Under" is its cast. The three main players in this movie; Selleck, San Giacomo, and Rickman; are all first-rate actors. That Tom Selleck has not become a film star similar to Tom Cruise or Robert De Niro amazes me. He has an ability to fill a screen like so few actors can. The one actor who comes to mind by way of comparison is Charlton Heston. They both have that ability to project the necessary emotions and feelings of a scene without much effort. Laura San Giacomo is also another actor that I have a hard time figuring out why she hasn't become a star. Her portrayal of Crazy Cora in "Quigley" should have been a springboard to better roles but it hasn't panned out. Rickman is probably the one from this movie to have the best movie career to date. Rickman is one of the best bad guys going and even when he plays an angel ("Dogma") he still has that sideways sneer that makes you wonder what kind of a criminal he would be if he didn't find acting. "Quigley down Under" is not your typical Western, which is why it might not be for those who enjoy movies like "Unforgiven" or "The Outlaw Josey Wales". However, it is a good movie from a non-Western genre standpoint and one that I'd recommend.
Rating: 
Summary: a great cowboy
Review: Matthew Quigley is a sharpshooter from the old west who answers a job advertisement and ends up in Australia. Once there he hooks up with Crazy Cora and founds himself at odds with his employer when he finds out his true job.
Tom Selleck was born to play a cowboy. He looks totally at ease in the saddle, he doesn't look like a Hollywood pretty-boy when he dresses in the standard western fare, and goodness knows, fans of the Rosie O'Donnell show know that Tom is at ease with a gun. Then add in the fact that he is a actor at ease with both drama and comedy and he is made for this movie.
Thankfully he is matched against one of the best villain actors of all time in Alan Rickman. Rickman has been fantastic in every movie that he has portrayed a villain, Die Hard and Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, and he continues to shine in this one. The way he bites out his lines is phenomenal.
Rating: 
Summary: Best Left 'Down Under'
Review: Tom Selleck stars as Quigley, a Wild Westerner if there ever was one, who travels to Australia to complete a job without knowing what it is he's supposed to do. When he arrives and finds himself in a moral dilemma, he wants no part of it ... and does the rest of the film REALLY make any sense? Not much. QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER is worth one viewing ONLY. This is certainly not one to own.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining
Review: Selleck lacks the powerful on screen presence that's required for a great western like say Eastwood or even other action adventure stars like Harrison, Gibson or Willis, but that being said, this is still an entertaining movie. The story is engaging and there are some good shoot outs. It isn't an all action thriller, though, and tends to lean towards a political statement and tries too hard (unsuccessfully) to have the costars feminine emotions and problems be a compelling part of the story. While this isn't a "got to own it" movie, it is worth watching and a mild recommendation.
Rating: 
Summary: Tom Selleck makes an excellent western hero
Review: I own this film and thoroughly enjoy it. For under 15 dollars it is a must have for any DVD collection. The film was beautifully made by Simon Wincer who directed it and Lonesome Dove. This is a great western with Tom Selleck as it's hero. The story is action-packed, heart wrenching, full of adventure, love, hate, suspense, drama and so on. For the merits of the film as well as the price, I would highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Loved this movie!
Review: This movie had everything drama, comedy, romance & it was a western! Laura San Giacomo was a hoot! Have had to buy copies of this one for everyone in my family, they loved it so much!
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT FOR TOM SELLECK
Review: This is one movie I will watch more than once [4 times already] One of my all time favorites. --
Tom Selleck fans will really like this one and if you follow Alan Rickman - he is great also. [Sense and Sensibility + Die Hard]
Rickman makes an excellent bad guy.
I sure get a kick out of the way the Aussie's ride their horses.
Love the look of the country. We need to make more movies over there.
Rating:
Summary: Why You Go To Movies To Begin With
Review: (...)I walked out of the theater the first time immediately wanting to experience it again.
I saw this 3 times at the theaters and who knows how many times on TV. I couldn't wait for it to hit DVD. Movies like this are why I go to movies.
Rating:
Summary: Great, Great Movie!
Review: This one is great! If you haven't seen it... Do! Tom Selleck fans- this is a must have! You don't need to know what it's about... just watch it, knowing nothing, & you'll love it even more!!!!!! (That's how I first saw it, so I know!)
Rating:
Summary: Tom Selleck Westerns are authentic and action packed !!!
Review: Tom Selleck is one of the Best Hollywood cowboy since John Wayne. Selleck makes it his job to portray and with his asserted effort makes his western characters very believable. In "Quigley Down Under" beautifully shot in Austrailia. Selleck plays an American sharpshooter (Matthew Quigley)who answers a want ad regarding the needs for a sharpshooter. Quigley's ability to shoot and hit accurately targets greater than 1000 yards is a very interesting twist to this 1850's Austrialian western. In Summary: This movie provides all the "John Wayne ingredients". From the beginning brawl upon Quigley's arrival in FreeMantle to his departure with heroine sidekick (Laura San Giacomo) the story moves quickly and the action constant. Quigley is hired by a villian ranch owner (Alan Rickman) to kill varmits which are cluttering his land who have learned to stay out of range of the conventional rifles. Quigley quickly demonstrates his ability to hit targets in excess of 1000 yards with his special custom rifle and ammunition. He finds out quickly though the varmits are Aborigine's (the native Indian type people of Austrialia) and he protests and fights the owner. Overtaken and beaten by many ranch hands / gunfighters is cast in the Austrialian outback with crazy girl to die. With the best story line and heroic abilities survives and seeks vengence with the help of the Aborigines and the crazy girl. A great action pack western beautifully photographed with a twist. Excessive violence PG-13 is the only precaution for the young observers. Widescreen Anamorphic makes it outstanding for viewing on those widescreen HDTV's. A nice making of extra is included. The musical score adds to the enjoyment. Tom Selleck is one of the great new Hollywood Cowboys. So buy this (a great value) and watch his other westerns they're great!!!
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