| Critically acclaimed in some quarters, but snubbed | | | | Open Range is a film the entire family can enjoy... |
| by the Oscars, Open Range is a throw back to | | | | Utilizing modern day cinematography and the |
| the great John Wayne Westerns of the past. | | | | natural beauty of the American frontier, Open |
| With the exception of a few films, like | | | | Range provides a modern viewers with an idea of |
| Tombstone or Wyatt Earp, you rarely see | | | | the hard life such people lived. The only major |
| Westerns hyped on the big screen anymore. | | | | point in which it lacks realism (at least as far as I |
| Open Range is the exception to the rule. With an | | | | can ascertain, and I'm no expert) is in the final |
| all-star cast headed by Robert Duvall, Kevin | | | | scenes when the good guys and bad guys finally |
| Costner, and Annette Benning, Open Range is | | | | have a showdown gun battle. This prolonged |
| filled with all the majestic beauty of the rolling | | | | dance of the six-shooters ends up killing about |
| plains, small town frontier life, and shootouts | | | | seventy-five times as many people as the |
| between the good guys and the bad. If you like | | | | famous shootout at the OK Corral. Just as the |
| the Western genre, then you'll love Open Range. | | | | Saint Valentine's Day Massacre would hardly merit |
| Friends Boss Spearman (Robert Duvall), Charley | | | | a mention on today's evening news, mass murder |
| Waite (Kevin Costner), Mose Harrison (Abraham | | | | on this scale just did not happen in those days. |
| Benrubi), and Button (Diego Luna) enjoy a life of | | | | However, the shootout in Open Range is the |
| freedom and abundance as they free-graze their | | | | high-point of the film, and the rate at which they |
| cattle across the open plains of the Old West. | | | | stave off the ultimate conflict builds to the climax |
| Living a life of honor and tranquility, each is | | | | of the movie with a crescendo effect (which |
| content with the wonder of his daily experience. | | | | wouldn't work without the bloody gun battle). |
| But each man's personal paradise is upended | | | | In the end, Open Range is a highly entertaining |
| when the men drive their cattle near the town of | | | | movie. Lots of conflict... Lots of shooting... Man |
| Harmonville. Local rancher Denton Baxter (Michael | | | | against man violence. If you like that, then you're |
| Gambon) hates free-rangers, especially on his land, | | | | in luck with this one. The only question you need |
| and he uses the local sheriff, Sheriff Poole (James | | | | ask yourself (which in the old days you didn't |
| Russo) to control the town through a campaign of | | | | have to ask yourself) is whether or not the good |
| fear and terror. | | | | guys will win. Do they? You'll have to find out for |
| But Boss and Charley are not the type of men | | | | yourself, and I highly recommend it. Open Range |
| who back down from a fight, especially when | | | | is Kevin Costner at his best - knee-deep in |
| their friends are hurt. The differing goals of each | | | | American history, whether it's the open plains of |
| group of men leads to an inevitable bloody | | | | the West or the baseball diamonds of Iowa and |
| showdown. In the meantime, Charley falls in love | | | | North Carolina - that's why Open Range is a |
| with the local doctor's sister Sue Barlow (Annette | | | | definite must-see film... |
| Benning). At times funny, at others romantic, | | | | |