Open Range ---- **** (out of 5) (2003)
Cast: Robert Duvall, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, Michael Gambon, Michael Jeter
Director(s): Kevin Costner
Screenwriter(s): Craig Storper
Released on: August 15, 2003
Reviewed on: September 21, 2003
Rated: R - for violence
OPEN RANGE may not be a classic, but it looks and feels like a classic enough for any viewer to forgive its somewhat slow pace and let it take time to develop into what amounts to be an excellent film for anyone to see. You have to love it no matter what kind of genre fan you are.
Boss Spearman, with his partner Charley Waite, heads a small group of free grazers in the Old West back in 1882. The four men in the group are independent when it comes to their cattle herding but, after their friend Mose Harrison gets into some trouble while passing through town, they begin to get on the nerves of an eccentric landowner named Baxter that pretty much runs the town because of all the property he owns on it. Like many others of his ilk in the time period the film is set, he strongly dislikes free grazers but allows Boss and Charley to take back Mose as long as they go their own way without stirring up trouble. Even so, this doesn't go over too well with Boss, who is determined to avenge Mose by scaring off the masked men on horseback that busted him up and landed him in jail. The problem evolves into an even bigger one, and a final showdown occurs to settle the score and allow the free grazers to make things right in the corrupt West.
I liked OPEN RANGE because it didn't shy away from elaboration or do too much editing just to satisfy the impatient movie-goers that can't sit still long enough to appreciate a good modern Western. It takes some time for the story to develop but, along the way, there's plenty of majestic scenery and light humor to keep us entertained until things really start heating up. The film is surprisingly about 2 hours and 15 minutes in length, but most will be so long enthralled by all of the great characters and memorable moments that happen on-screen, you won't even realize until looking at your watch that you've been sitting watching this Western for over 2 hours. But why would you even look at your watch anyway?
Some old hokey Westerns from decades back might bore the current generation out of their minds, but OPEN RANGE is just so different from the rest that any casual movie-goer that strictly views lowbrow comedies or over-the-top action flicks could still love this film for what it is. You've just got to give it a chance! I admit I was a little hesitant about seeing this one, but even I was lenient on this occasion. Vin Diesel might perform better action/stunt pieces, kids, but nothing compares to a good, old-fashioned Western gunfight. Action fans will appreciate the final 30 minutes of OPEN RANGE to its full extent after sitting through plot and character buildup for a long while. This was a great comeback for Kevin Costner as a director, and I hope to see more films of this caliber out of him pretty soon.
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