Appaloosa: Film #6 of Film 365

Monday 21st March 2011

Director: Ed Harris
Year: 2008
Stars: Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellwegger, Jeremy Irons

For much of this movie, I wasn't sure what to make of it. At times it felt as if it was trying to be something more than it really was. I decided I would give it the benefit of the doubt, and wait until the ending before I came to a decision.

Appaloosa is all about two gunmen, Virgil Cole (Harris) and Everett Hitch (Mortensen), who are hired to rid the town of Appaloosa of the Bragg gang. Various Western-type events ensue, including the obvious love interest, a murder trial and lots of shooting.

After being fairly patient with the movie I determined that it was, in fact, trying to be something more it was. Appaloosa tries very hard to be like a classic Western, but updated for a modern age. Unfortunately, it succeeds only in not being quite as good as a classic Western. If you're looking for a modern take on the Western genre, try True Grit instead. True Grit is everything Appaloosa wanted to be.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

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About Me

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I live in Bristol with my husband Dan (who I married in July 2007), my son Joe (born 2012) and daughter Jess (born 2015). I work at UWE (the University of the West of England) in Bristol as a Research and Open Access Librarian. I'm orginally from Exeter, so moving back to Bristol is a bit like coming home - especially as I studied for my undergraduate degree here (also at UWE). I love travelling and movies, although I get to do a lot less of both since the birth of our children. Although we have still managed to fit in holidays to the Isles of Scilly, Chamonix and a summer in California since Joe was born.