What the??
Yeah, I know...
It's been a while since I offered one up.
Why?...
Because...
It's been a while since I'd seen a movie.
A couple years, I think. Maybe longer. I just didn't like all the comic book type fare Hollywood was producing and I decided to boycott.
After years of slumber, I looked up to find...
Wow!, the creative class has started creating again.
There are some good films out there at the moment.
Had a much needed 'Mom date' today, and took the old lady to the movies. She likes Westerns. Okay, enough of about me..
On to what matters...
Hostiles is a story based upon a soon-retiring Calvary officer (a decades-long, seasoned and bloodied veteran of the Indian Wars) being ordered to safely return an aging and dying Chief (a personal nemesis), to spend his last moments in his ancestral lands.
This is not a match made on earth. Both men hate each other. For very honest reasons. And this is where the honesty of the story ends.
80% of what happens next, is total, fucking, bull shit.
Along the way. they encounter hostiles of their own, they fight against them... yadda yadda,
The aged, murderous Indian (who is presented as gentle and brave) is wiser and more sincere than his hateful, bigotted White enemy... more yadda...
NOW you can see where the Hollywood crowd totally loves this movie.
In a latter scene, this group of noble Indian prisoners ally with their 'woke' White captors... to fend off a crew of Indian hating White men... and this is where the film totally lost me.
As a former bondsman, I have received some small amount of training as to how to react/defend when facing a hostile man, or four... It's called Tactical Training.
I'm sitting there... like... what the fuck are you doing???? You're all gonna die... you're asking for it!
Keep in mind... this band of now-brothers is led by a seasoned Indian war chief, and a highly successful and bloodied, 25 year veteran Calvary Officer... these are not combat stooges.
Yet, there they are... totally stooged out.
The movie ended for me in that moment.
Yeah, the film rolled for another 15-20 minutes or so... but I wasn't even in the room anymore. Could no longer suspend belief for the sake of escapism...Not emotionally/intellectually, anyway.
I'm talkin... 'Bondsman 101' here..., pretty basic stuff ...
Until this moment, I was willing to forgive some of of the plot induced 'head scratchers' (what was that? i'm not sure... yeah, those moments)
"The best western since 'Unforgiven' " Hollywood tells us... I guess nobody in Hollywood saw '3:10 To Yuma', which I have favorably reviewed on these same blog pages.
On to performances...
Christian Bale was pretty awesome here. He is a real actor. . I thought he delivered his complex character pretty well... but toward the end... would have been nice if his facial expression changed somewhat. I don't blame him. He's an employee, following his director's direction. The Director failed him. Myself... I would totally enjoy being who he was here...
Wes Studi was splendid playing the role of Wes Studi. This dude has one role in Hollywood, and he nailed his one role perfectly... for the umpteenth time... 'Mailing it in' is easy to do when it's the only letter you write.
Everybody else could have been played by... anybody else... This is a not a deep film.
Two weeks ago, I saw a direct-to-video Western on HBO.
"In A Valley Of Violence" is a fine Western of the old school, with good acting from Ethan Hawke and (surprise!) John Travolta.
Look that one up.
You'll thank me
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