pavelnanometrics
Almost a great film, loses focus when the actors get too cute with modern slang but, all characters are interesting, the audience is never sure what's going to happen next, action is well paced, and a great 'what just happened here' ending. Chaotic, surprising and violent as I think the old West often was. Please make more of these.
whidbeydanielg
This film is ostensibly a "western." But it is more than that.For starters, it isn't a modern version of a western, but instead is more akin to the old spaghetti westerns. The music, the sets, the graphics, etc., are both an homage to spaghetti westerns and a humorous take-off on them.The plot is one you have seen in many westerns. A drifter comes into a small town that is controlled by a psychopath, conflict ensues, and there is a gun battle where the drifter "saves" the town.On one level that is all this is. On another, it is a wry, and dry, take-off on this old, familiar tale because in this film the drifter doesn't go after the town bullies to liberate the town but because they killed his dog.That's right. This is a film where the battle-hardened, killer hero is mush when his dog is killed. He cries.So, right there, you don't have a traditional western or a traditional spaghetti western. In NO OTHER western I have ever seen (hundreds, as I am a die-hard fan) has the hero ever cried. Even Nathan Brittles wasn't crying in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon when he went to his wife's grave.This guy cries and then exacts his revenge.Now, Ethan Hawk is great in this. Just a week earlier we had seen the (dreadful) remake of The Magnificent Seven, which he is also in. However, this film, In a Valley of Violence, is far superior. In Mag 7 II, the town "bully" has hundreds of hired gunmen, all of whom meet their deaths in about 20 minutes. It is so absurd as to be ridiculous.In Valley, there are 4, maybe 5, and none of them are even close to competent, or even scary. There is a bully, his dad, and three guys who just needed a job because they couldn't do anything else.And the gun battle is hilarious. You realize, while watching this film, that you have been had. It starts off to be a standard western, and slowly evolves into rib splitting humor as you watch the gun "battle" unfold. The dialogue is clever. And the humor doesn't beat you over the head. In fact, it is understated, which makes it even better.We enjoyed this film. We will watch it again. Just give it a chance. It will be especially rewarding for people who have a history with old-fashioned westerns, as it is a wry, dry take-off on them that pounds you with subtlety and intelligent humor.Enjoy, pilgrim!
