Popular reviews

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  Review by ScreeningNotes ★★★ 1

  "It was going to be a long ride, and there was no reason to hurry."

  Appaloosa is a respectable new-age western which is satisfied with just soaking in the atmosphere of the western world it creates. It's not in a hurry to get anywhere or do anything particularly new, but it's mostly successful at the modest goals it sets out to achieve. It's essentially a traditional 40's–50's western (i.e. not revisionist) made in the modern day.

  The biggest highlight is the performances: Ed Harris (also directing, and quite capably) and Viggo Mortensen play a marshall-and-deputy duo that have been together forever, and their amiable rapport translates well to the screen (there's this bit they do, where Harris can't think of…

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  Review by Sofa Sinema ★★★½ 4

  Captures the straightforward elegance of Robert B. Parker's western noir prose. The casting of Renee Zellwegger is tragic, though.

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  Review by Fabian ★★★ 4

  Western Marathon | Film #21: Appaloosa (2008)

  The advantages of Appaloosa as a postmodern entry into the Western genre can be summed up briefly and succinctly: the film bathes in its atmosphere and uses the vastness of the American frontier to tell a story dominated by the usual genre elements of the traditional western.

  Appaloosa is directed by Ed Harris, who gathers a whole range of talented actors, including Jeremy Irons, Viggo Mortensen and Renée Zellweger, the latter of whom, however, does little persuasion of her talent with her almost frozen facial muscles.

  But even if Appaloosa doesn't have much to contribute to the genre, it is nevertheless a successful film that rekindles the hope that the genre, which had…

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  Review by Andy Summers ★★★½ 1

  Modern Westerns seem to get little attention these days unless they're directed by a certain Mr Quentin Tarantino. Django Unchained's success was a shot in the arm for the genre that had still delivered some impressive productions but rarely set the box office alight.
  Ed Harris takes a starring role here and also makes a welcome return to the director's chair he'd filled so well on Pollock. Alongside Viggo Mortensen who yet again gives an effortlessly nuanced performance, this is an traditionalist Western with a simple plot that brings the best out of Harris, Mortensen, and the still incredible Jeremy Irons as the evil rancher intent on doing whatever he sees fit. Good versus bad in a battle for control…

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  Review by williamfaeleith ★★★½

  This modern western seems to be a bit of a passion project for Ed Harris who directs, co-writes and stars - and even co-writes and performs one of the songs - but overall it's a little underwhelming.
  The fun to be had is being in the company of Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch played by Harris and Viggo Mortensen. It's confidently directed with well-written dialogue but Renée Zellweger is either miscast or her character is underwritten.
  Very much an old-fashioned western story with quite a thin plot spread over nearly two hours but the two leads keep you entertained and Jeremy Irons adds some good support as the antagonist. I probably liked it more than this review would lead you to believe.

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  Review by RetroHound ★★★★

  A really solid Western that doesn't always go where you expect, but goes where it should. I did not realize Ed Harris directed this until the movie started. Some excellent camera work, and some surprises, such as a shot of the train from an overlook, and a cougar walks into the camera frame. It was beautiful, and I don't think I'd ever seen that before. I liked the relationship between Ed Harris and Renée Zellweger. She can't help herself from falling for (sleeping with) whomever is the alpha dog (or boss stallion as they say in the movie) in any situation. When Harris finds this out, he loves her enough that he is willing to accept that just to be…

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  Review by gibson8 ★★★

  The Good: The attention to period tactical detail in the shoot-outs and climactic duel. It is refreshing yet somewhat disconcerting to see Viggo adopt the correct side-on stance for duelling. The presentation of a smaller target to hit seems obvious but countless other filmmakers have adopted the less sensible face-on approach. Harris understands the importance of depicting the efficacy of a bullet. Most duels were won by the most accurate marksman not the fastest.

  The Bad: Renee Zellwegger (replacing Diane Lane) looks like she needed some more recovery time following surgery. I am not sure who's fault this is but her obvious enhancements distract in the early scenes as she struggles to move parts of her face. The plot is…

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  Review by Jake Alda Coffey ★★½

  It’s a pretty average western. Even it’s great cast couldn’t save it.

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  Review by Oneepiexe ★★★ 2

  Appaloosa ist ein spannungsarmer Western mit austauschbaren Figuren und einer nicht nennenswerten Handlung, aber sämtliche Darsteller rund um Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen und Co. sind klasse, visuell weiß der Film ebenfalls zu überzeugen, Jeremy Irons gibt einen charismatischen Bösewicht ab und der Unterhaltungswert ist riesig. Darüber hinaus vergehen die zwei Stunden wahnsinnig schnell. Ed Harris, der hier als Hauptdarsteller, Drehbuchautor und Produzent tätig war, hat mit Appaloosa vielleicht nicht den größten Wurf gemacht, aber definitiv einen sehr unterhaltsamen. Sehr routinierter Western, mit dem man sicherlich nichts falsch macht.

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  Review by Daniel PG Simpson ★★★ 1

  Dan's DVD Dumpster Diving Part Four

  Westerns occupy an interesting space in 21st century cinema. Too few have been made in the last twenty years to say that the genre's flourishing but among the few we do get have been some genuinely fantastic films. Perhaps that's why Appaloosa came and went without fanfare back in 2008. Most of the modern westerns to really leave an impact have either been great entertainments or great art films but Appaloosa is neither. It's not nearly introspective enough to be an art film and it's only intermittingly exciting, so I can't call it a great entertainment. I might call Appaloosa a good entertainment though. The film is basically a riff on the Wyatt Earp/Tombstone…

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  Review by Andy Summers ★★★ 3

  The Western genre has had a bit of a lean time over the last 20 years or so. Yes we have had a few stunners,most notably from Mr Eastwood and a certain Kevin Costner, but Ed Harris must be congratulated for his attempt to join those illustrious directors, but with this film he falls just short of greatness.
  Tommy Lee Jones' "The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada" is probably the finest Western of the last 10 years, but had a modern take on the genre, Harris' Western however has a distinct classic feel to it with well defined good guys and bad guys.
  Harris and Viggo Mortensen are an impressive double act. They exude confidence and are clinical in their…

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  Review by Mr. DuLac ★★★½

  I warned 'em.
  -Virgil Cole

  One thing that Appaloosa does better than a lot of westerns is gunshots. Might sound bizarre to some, but the gunshots don’t fuck around in this movie. They sound like thunder coming down on you. Each one representing potential death.

  Ed Harris' second stab at directing. Not because he wanted to suddenly direct a western, but because he read Robert B. Parker’s novel Appaloosa and was inspired to make it.

  The friendship between Cole (Ed Harris) and Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) is what makes this film work. The whole thing with Allie (Renée Zellweger) doesn’t quite hit it’s mark for me, but it’s damage to my enjoyment of the film is minimal.

  Western March

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  Degrees of Separation from Last Movie or Mini-Series:
  -Appaloosa with Ed Harris
  -Was in Apollo 13 with Tom Hanks
  -Was in The Green Mile with Sam Rockwell
  -Was in Don Verdean