The Tracker

Notable TV Western with Kris Kristofferson's stoic acting as a tough tracker who sets out in pursuit some cruel outlaws . A series of vicious crimes by a renegade bunch of gunfighters , led by "Red Jack" Stilwell (Scott Wilson) and his henchmen (John Quade , Don Swayze..) lead to a legendary tracker , Noble Adams (Kris Kristofferson) , is pulled out of retirement to capture Stilwell , dead or alive , being accompanied by the local sheriff (David Huddleston) . Reluctantly, needing more men, he allows his son Tom (Mark Moses) to ride along. They track down the heinous villain and meet a band of nasty bounty hunters 8Leon Rippley , among others) .As the group sets after them , as Stitwell leads his men in a manhunt throughout a long and risked journey . Along the way , they manage to escape from the ominous gang and then things change . He thought his days of violence had ended... But the battle between good and evil is never over. Noble thought he left behind.

Thrilling Western in traditional style in which a two-fisted tracker joins his son and a sheriff to chase a really dangerous killer and his hoodlums . A charming and agreeable Western with good performance by the protagonist quartet : Kris Kristopherson , Mark Moses , David Huddleston and the extremely nasty Scott Wilson . This fine Western contains thrills , adequate action set-pieces , chases , go riding , and taking place impressive quick-draws . This special Western picture with breathtaking duels concerns three pursuers pit heinous bandits resulting in a deadly gun-battle and it turns out to be an enjoyable as well as appropriate homage to the traditional style Western . There's a particular family relationship , father : Kris Kristofferson and son : Mark Moses , revealing to Tom a whole brutal side of ruthlessness . This ¨The Tracker (1988)¨ contains strong performances augmented by blazing guns , hobbled by an uneven writing . Nevertheless, it doesn't have much interest at times , neither intensity enough , though Kris Kristofferson captures his role pretty well playing an expert and silent gunfighter who proves his excellent skills against the violent band . John Guillermin's slick direction , awesome interpretation and interesting story and script from Kevin Jarre enhance interest in this television nice Western . Standing out the great Kris Kristofferson as the merciless tracker who he seeks justice and vengeance . Star Kris Kristofferson is a detached figure in Western genre , being one of its main representatives , performing a lot of them in the Seventies , Eighties and Nineties , as cinema as TV , such as : ¨The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James¨ , ¨Pat Garret and Billy the Kid¨ , ¨Heaven's Gate¨, ¨Outlaw Justice¨ , ¨Dead man's gun¨ , ¨Stagecoach¨ and modern Western as ¨Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia¨ or ¨Convoy¨ and several others . Adding other notorious secondaries as John Quade , Don Swayze , Geoffrey Blake , Leon Rippley , Karen Kopins and the recently deceased Ernie Lively , Blake Lively's father.

There's a magnificently atmospheric cinematography , heightened by professional cameraman George Tirl providing vivid photography from Durango and Silverton , Narrow Gauge Railroad, Colorado, Bonanza Creek Ranch Santa Fe, Galisteo , San Ildefonso , New Mexico, Diablo Canyon, Santa Fe, New Mexico . The motion picture was competently directed by John Guillermin . This Brit craftsman filmmaker directed several films of all kinds of genres , getting several hits and some flops , as he made the following ones : "The Blue Max" , "Walz of the Toreadors" , "Never Let Go" , "Death on the Nile" , "King Kong" , "King Kong lives" , "Towering inferno" , among others . Rating : 6.5/10 . Better than average . Essential and indispensable watching for Western enthusiasts . The flick will appeal to Kris Kristofferson fans .

Renegade Mormon psychopath (!) Scott Wilson and fellow prisoners, including John Quade and Don Swayze, bust out of prison and go on a bloody rampage. Famous retired tracker Kris Kristofferson is pressed back into service by lawman David Huddleston to help catch them and ends up bringing his eastern educated son. Upon hearing that Kristofferson is tracking them, Wilson ups the ante by kidnapping two young girls.

This is one grim, eighties style western that never lets up in terms of action and suspense. The teleplay by Kevin Jarre (who also wrote Tombstone) has a lot of psychological depth, with Kristofferson revealing to his son a different, more violent side and in turn teaching the young lawyer how to be a man.

It's good to see character actor David Huddleston in a non-comedic hero role. Scott Wilson is also good as the pitifully disturbed heavy, probably his best role since In Cold Blood. Kristofferson gives a better performance here than in Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid.

Director John Guillerman also scored big with faux spaghetti western El Condor, with Jim Brown and Lee Van Cleef. He does a great job capturing the great natural beauty as well as the dark side of the old west.

Made for HBO and aired in the winter and spring of 1988 only to be soon forgotten, THE TRACKER is an exceptionally rendered Western and one of the best movies of the genre in the post-Eastwood era. A simple yet interesting premise is blended with tight action and deeply effective characterization to give any Western fan a highly satisfying experience, as it was for me when it originally aired. Adding to its strengths are the evocative and atmospheric soundtrack and the superior scriptwriting, creating a palpable old west atmosphere and fully believable characters who are not overacted or overdrawn. Of special note is Kris Kristofferson's understated and restrained performance, which results in a serious and fully credible character in the form of the tracker Noble Adams. Scott Wilson as the protagonist is excellent as usual, with strong contributions by all cast involved. I urge any true Western fan to obtain and watch THE TRACKER; it is an experience to be enjoyed and appreciated.

I am a big Western fan..and it seems the older I get, the more I like them..However, I had not watched this film before..and I really liked it a lot..It had all the prerequisites of great Western..Terrific scenery..good musical score..a time tested plot..and very good characters..It reminded me greatly of 1 of my favorite films, The Last Hard Men...where Charlton Heston/James Coburn starred as the retired lawman and escaped convict..Both films shared 1 thing that is hard to find in a western..a general sense of foreboding where at every turn there was danger lurking in every turn.. In this film's case 2 terrific actors, Kris Kristofferson and Scott Wilson who as leads developed a personal hatred for each other..Both films had young men finding their way in a world they had not experienced in the manner of the lawman, which made the lawman uneasy for relying on him as a back-up..and both films had the beginnings of a love interest that involved a kidnapped hostage and young apprentice..I highly recommend this film, and then decide which 1 you enjoy better..In my case, for different reasons I give it a tie!!!

The story is very linear, and you've seen it all before. There are a few amusing incidents along the trail, and the acting by Scott Wilson, Kris Kristofferson, and David Huddleston is really pretty good. Some of Scott Wilson's religious ramblings seem strange and unnecessary. To keep things interesting, you have father-son relationship wrangling, beautiful scenery, and a very appropriate musical score. The movie moves slowly at times, but character development is above average, thanks to the deliberate pace. Despite a couple lapses in logic, the script is totally acceptable. What you wind up with is a fully developed, familiar story, that most viewers will enjoy. Recommended. - MERK