Out of Liberty

It didn't work for me. It seemed much more like a student film than something you'd see in a commercial theater. Not much charisma or chemistry between the actors and maybe two different sets to distract you from that. Some will probably be interested enough in the story to compensate for its shortcomings but I think for most, this will be a disappointment.

This is a well-produced, decently acted, and consistent movie. That's not the highest praise, but it's more than most faith-based movies have. It's also nice that it takes a unique look at the story, even if it bends the history (but that's just something that has to happen to make a compelling film). All in all, this is among the best LDS films, though certainly not the best.

It's 1839. In the small town of Liberty, Missouri, Joseph Smith and several of his Saints are in the jail. They've fled Illinois to escape the mobs. Now in Missouri, there are lynch mobs being held off as they await trial for.... well, it's not clear. The judge, and even the governor, we are told, know they're innocent of whatever it is, but fear *cough* *cough* public opinion. Sheriff Jasen Wade is in charge of getting them to the trial, getting them back to jail, and standing guard over them at all times.

It's a talk festival, with cinematographer Jeremy Prusso keeping the camera moving and editor Connor O'Malley keeping the clips short in order to maintain visual interest. The night scenes are the most interesting, men standing in front of a black background, almost stage-like. This being a western, Wade keeps his delivery short and clipped, with sentences to match. More of interest as a retelling of history and law than what you might expect from a western, I enjoyed it but consider that more a matter of personal quirks than of actually interesting film making.

Right, well I was expecting to see a proper western movie here, but instead I was served a movie about a group of imprisoned mormons and the hardships of the people that want to see them brought to justice.

Yeah, not really exactly what I had imagined this movie to be. And I managed to endure 40 minutes of the ordeal that is "Out of Liberty" before I was Out of Patience, and simply called it quits. And there is no chance of me returning to finish the rest of this movie.

Now, it should be said that the movie does have a good production value to it, and it definitely has the era feel to it, being gritty and somewhat rough. But the movie just failed utterly on its script and storyline. I was far from being entertained by what transpired on the screen, both in terms of what took place and the characters participating in said boring events.

I am sure that there is an audience out there for a movie such as this. I just wasn't in that group. Sure, the movie may be set within the confines of what constitutes a western movie, but this was hardly a western movie in the classic (or generic) meaning of the word "western".

And the whole aspect of religion that simmered beneath the surface of the movie didn't really do an ounce of helping to win me over either.

My rating of "Out of Liberty" is a mere three out of ten stars. This was a massive swing and a miss from director Garrett Batty as in managing to entertain me. I had expected this to be a western movie, not a slow paced and rather mundane prison drama.

The movie was dramatic, suspenseful, contemplative. Seems to be accurate historically according to my knowledge.