Zwei Freunde, die als Polizisten in einer Kleinstadt angestellt wurden, die unter der Herrschaft eines Ranchers leidet, finden ihre Arbeit durch die Ankunft einer jungen Witwe erschwert.Zwei Freunde, die als Polizisten in einer Kleinstadt angestellt wurden, die unter der Herrschaft eines Ranchers leidet, finden ihre Arbeit durch die Ankunft einer jungen Witwe erschwert.Zwei Freunde, die als Polizisten in einer Kleinstadt angestellt wurden, die unter der Herrschaft eines Ranchers leidet, finden ihre Arbeit durch die Ankunft einer jungen Witwe erschwert.
- Regie
- Drehbuch
- Hauptbesetzung
- Auszeichnungen
- 5 wins total
- Marshall Jack Bell
- (as Bobby Jauregui)
- Chalk
- (as Jim Tarwater)
- Bragg's Third Man
- (as Fred Hice)
Empfohlene Bewertungen
A straightforward western tale with very little revisionism, with real men doing "what men have to do". The sense of space, the wish to be part of civilization, the bad men resisting that encroachment, the sense of the mythic; it was all there.
A little bit more modern in approach than a classic 50's tale, particularly in how Renée Zellwegger's character developed, but a real story nevertheless; good guys, bad guys. Jeremy Irons is very good as the baddie. Timothy Spall is good comic relief and Ed Harris and Vigo Mortensen a terrific pair, carefully nurturing their relationship while understanding exactly what they have to do.
The pace was very good, allowing the story and character to develop properly. Even so, it could have and should have been shorter - John Ford, or more likely Anthony Mann would have got through this story in about 90 minutes, but very satisfying nevertheless.
Costner did a pretty good job on Open Range (that was really miles too long), 3:10 to Yuma was pathetic (why they bothered to remake it when the makers so totally misunderstood the thrust of the original I will never know).
But this was the real deal, or at least as near to the real deal as we are ever likely to get nowadays. Too bad it will disappear without a trace.
Set in 1882 New Mexico, Appaloosa follows the fate of the town of the same name, which has fallen into the control of a ruthless outlaw (Jeremy Irons), and the powers that be have hired new hands to take control of the situation (Harris and Viggo Mortensen). However, when a mysterious widow (Renee Zellweger) arrives in town, loyalties will be tested, friendships will be put on trial, and guns will be fired.
The strong point, as I've said, is Ed Harris, who pulls the quadruple threat of acting, directing, writing, and producing. Despite all the work he did on this film, he still manages to turn in an Oscar worthy performance as the steadfast and unwavering commander of the town. Harris is subtle, nuanced, and never out of control. He commands the screen every time he's on it, without yelling or doing anything too crazy. Viggo Mortensen's near silent performance is not short on talent either, as one of silent acting's kings continues to show incredible versatility (the guy is a fantasy king, Russian mobster, and now an old west Deputy Marshall). To complete the trifecta of greatness, Jeremy Irons is the only guy I can imagine in the role of the film's villain. His freezing stare, mixed with the icy cold voice he is most known for, makes him one of the most memorable villains of the year.
Renee Zellweger really didn't add anything to the movie, though her character wasn't too interesting, and just serves as a plot device. This is what keeps the film from getting that "10" from me. The rest of the supporting cast is really a non-issue, as the story really only revolves around a few characters.
What I enjoyed most about the film is that it really made me feel like I was out west...right down to the little details, such as sandstorms, the presence of Native Americans, small drawls from the actors (thankfully none besides Zellweger had a bad one), and the different kinds of horses & guns in the film. Harris keeps the film moving nicely, and there's only a few moments where I felt it dragged a bit. Like I've said, it's hard to find a real fault here...the film is just well done all around, from a production standpoint.
When all is said and done, I knew how I felt about this film the second the lights went on. I clapped and said, "that was great". Appaloosa is an old school western that has everything a fan of the genre could want...including a suspenseful and tense gunfight and crazy Native Americans on horses! It's definitely one of the most complete westerns and films I've seen this year, and should be in contention for a few awards come Oscar season.
Things I Didn't Like About It: 1. The pace is sometimes slow, or else what was going on wasn't interesting enough - one or the other. 2. F Bombs. There are a few (which is probably the main reason for the R rating) and the F-Bomb was not in common use during that era. I don't know why Hollywood insists on using it, when it wasn't part of the vocabulary of the era. It's not authentic.
Overall summary I would say that although Appaloosa started out slow, and was at certain places dull, the way it ended was so satisfying it was worth it. If they made a sequel of this movie that somehow focused on Everitt's character I would definitely watch it. He was the most the most interesting character of all.
Wusstest du schon
- WissenswertesViggo Mortensen committed to this movie during a busy stretch of work. When filming was delayed, he tried to beg off, asking Ed Harris to try to find another actor. Harris interviewed 20 others for the role, but they either declined or weren't right for the part. Mortensen agreed to do it, and according to Harris, "Two days before we started principal photography, Viggo shows up in New Mexico. He's ready to go. He's done research on the period. He's given really great thought to his character. He had detailed ideas about his wardrobe and his props. He was in excellent shape and good spirits, and he subsequently played Everett Hitch to perfection. Viggo Mortensen is a man of his word."
- PatzerThe framing of the house being built appears to modern construction, using modern lumber, not the rough cut lumber of the day. It also appears to be double wall construction, not the single wall type of the era.
- Zitate
Everett Hitch: [narrating] Like my father, I'd been West Point, and I was good at soldiering. But soldiering didn't allow for much expansion of the soul. So after the War Between the States and a year of fighting Indians, I turned in my commission and rode away to see how much I could expand it. First time I met Virgil Cole was when I and my eight-gauge backed him up in a showdown he was having with some drunken mountain men. Virgil asked me right there on the spot if I'd care to partner up with him and his peacekeeping business. Which is why I was with him now, and why I still carry the eight-gauge. We'd been keeping the peace together for the last dozen years or so. And as we looked down on a town called Appaloosa, I had no reason to doubt we'd be doing just that for the foreseeable future.
Everett Hitch: But life has a way of making the foreseeable that which never happens, and the unforeseeable that which your life becomes.
- Crazy CreditsWhile being credited, items relating to positions and roles are displayed. Examples: Producers are listed as money is shown, an antique ink dryer is shown for the editor, production designer shows an antique tin cup and costume designer shows the top of a hat.
- SoundtracksGoodbye, Old Paint
Performed by Renée Zellweger
Top-Auswahl
Details
- Erscheinungsdatum
- Herkunftsland
- Offizieller Standort
- Sprachen
- Auch bekannt als
- Entre la vida y la muerte
- Drehorte
- Produktionsfirmen
- Weitere beteiligte Unternehmen bei IMDbPro anzeigen
Box Office
- Budget
- 20.000.000 $ (geschätzt)
- Bruttoertrag in den USA und Kanada
- 20.211.394 $
- Eröffnungswochenende in den USA und in Kanada
- 248.847 $
- 21. Sept. 2008
- Weltweiter Bruttoertrag
- 27.712.362 $
- Laufzeit1 Stunde 55 Minuten
- Farbe
- Sound-Mix
- Seitenverhältnis
- 2.35 : 1