Appaloosa (2008)

O Masterpiece
O Excellent
X Good
O OK
O Mediocrity
O Avoid

Review by Jason Pyles / January 17, 2009

In addition to “Appaloosa,” actor-director Ed Harris also directed and starred in “Pollock” (2000), a biography about abstract painter Jackson Pollock. I haven’t seen it, so I have no verdict on that one.

But I can tell you that “Appaloosa” aspires to the believable tone of better, more successful westerns like “Unforgiven” (1992) and the recent remake of “3:10 to Yuma” (2007). Of the three, “Appaloosa” is the third-place horse, but it still runs a respectable, 101-minute race.

The year is 1882 and the place is Appaloosa, a dusty town situated in the New Mexico Territory. A group of ruffians led by Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons) has begun plaguing the community with violence and lawlessness.

So Appaloosa hires the eminent Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and his right-hand man, Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) to keep the peace by any means necessary. Indeed, the duo has a reputation for being proficient at such tasks.

That’s the premise of “Appaloosa.” In many ways, it follows the usual conventions associated with this familiar plot, but “Appaloosa” also defies our expectations, here and there, which is refreshing.

And though it’s good, from the looks of it, “Appaloosa” seems like it would be an exceptional western. Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen paired as town cleaner-uppers — how could it possibly miss? I don’t know. It’s difficult to articulate. I guess in its attempt to aspire to be a realistic western, “Appaloosa” isn’t as engaging as other films that more closely typify the genre.

Perhaps more disappointing, Harris and Mortensen just aren’t as good as you’d expect them to be … for that, you’d need to refer to “A History of Violence” (2005).

Directed by Ed Harris
Ed Harris / Viggo Mortensen / Jeremy Irons
Western 101 min.
MPAA: R (for some violence and language)

U.S. Release Date: October 3, 2008
Copyright 2008: 319