Forsaken

If you're a fan of the genre, there isn't a single plot beat in FORSAKEN that you haven't seen many times over. In most instances, you'll probably be able to deduce what's going to happen next, or even what the next line is going to be.

That said, I still enjoyed the movie a good deal, primarily due to the beautiful locations, and Donald Sutherland's exceptional performance in what could have been a thankless, cut-out role. Kiefer, in full-on Kiefer mumbly mode fails to impress, but it's still interesting to see the father-son duo share the screen.

I'd give it a 6.5 if I could, but since I can't, I usually round up.

In the IMDb Guidelines for Top Reviewers, Rule 19 says that, when in doubt, be honest.

So I will.

I have no idea how most members do their ratings these days. But I do know that often the ratings make no sense. This is one example. This is a stellar western, borrowing the "retired gunslinger" theme from the 40s and 50s, the type of western that Glen Ford used to do best.

The script is solid, the acting ditto. I mean, Brian Cox and Demi Moore in supporting roles. Wow. The elder Sutherland as always gets a little trapped in his one-dimensional character but the part was written for a character actor not a lead. The younger Sutherland effortlessly spans the full spectrum of emotions and holds the attention of the viewer like glue. And Wincott makes for one of the most articulate western villains in the history of the genre.

The cinematography is stunning.

Again, looking at the low IMDb rating, you would think there are so many quality westerns being made these days that viewers are overpowered by choice. Nope, that's not true. Is it? If I were grading on a Bell curve, this would be a 9. As it stands it gets a solid 8. Recommended.

((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Forsaken is directed by Jon Cassar and written by Brad Mirman. It stars Kiefer Sutherland, Donald Sutherland, Brian Cox, Michael Wincott, Aaron Poole and Demi Moore. Music is by Jonathan Goldsmith and cinematography by Rene Ohashi.

There's a group of words bandied around for this one such as generic, cliché and formulaic, and most assuredly these can not be argued about. For this is very much an old style traditional Western, the plot featuring a retired gunslinger being pushed into action again - while he tries to reconcile with his estranged father - is a hard core staple of 1950s Westerns. But what is wrong with having a traditional Western in this day and age as long as it's produced with skill and grace? The answer for Western lovers is nothing at all.

This is a beautifully mounted picture, fronted by father and son Sutherland's - which adds heartfelt emotion to their scenes together - and boosted by gorgeous cinematography (making it a Blu-ray must), it's a genre piece of worth. Crucially it knows what it wants to be, it has no pretence to be anything other than a traditional Oater for lovers of such. The villains are sneery and scenery chewers - apart from Wincott who is a gentleman dandy type - and the good guy is wonderfully broody and reflective. Pacing is fine, the story has good drama and the finale excites as we hope it should.

In summary, nothing new here of course (except maybe Cox's out of place language!), so expectation of such would be foolhardy, but a smashing Western it be. 7/10

Like Kirk and Michael Douglas, Donald and Kiefer Sutherland waited far too long to team up for a film. Forsaken casts them as a frontier preacher and his gunfighter son who wants to give it up and settle down and work the family farm with dad. But there's a lot that has passed between them, a lot of misunderstanding and judgmental behavior ever since Kiefer went off to war and didn't return. He also left behind Demi Moore who up and married Christopher Rosamond and has a son with him.

This is an old fashioned western in its villains because back when all those poverty row studios were churning out B westerns the way Ford did Model Ts, the town banker in New Deal Days was always the villain. Brian Cox portrayed this villainous town banker with real relish, stopping short of twirling the mustache like Snidely Whiplash.

Donald played a three dimensional preacher with both faults and strengths and resisted the temptation to make his role a caricature. Kiefer Sutherland is a Jimmy Stewart like western hero who the locality depends on to be the strong man who stands up to the villains.

Like in John Wayne's classic El Dorado, Cox like villain Edward Asner in El Dorado doesn't use a gun, he 'hires it done'. Cox has a stable of gunfighters to enforce his will, but one of them is a professional played by Michael Wincott. Wincott and Sutherland have a mutual respect between professionals the way John Wayne had with Christopher George in El Dorado.

For those who like old fashioned westerns like me, Forsaken is your type of film.

Although this movie was done before by different actors, the whole drifter son who returns back in town, where ornery blokes are driving the town people out by using unsavory tactic to take possession of their property and land. Keifer returns to his father's home Donald, filled with a guilt of his past, only to realize that there are those who sometimes will not allow to forget it. I gotta say, the Sutherlands did a decent job on screen as a father and son duo, in which neither out stood the other in neither script or performance. Cox, WIncott and Moore, were also great co stars. In this film again, that has been done before. What moved me was the scene in the church were Keifer breakdowns and confesses his guilt to his father, who walks in on him talking to God, in whom Keifer never really believed in. That part had me little teary eyed. And of course end the retribution is handed down to those who have terrorized the towns people, and we all fill good at the end of the film. Cliché? yes. But a good cliché none the less, that stands the test of time and to see a father son duo do it so well, then I say we need more cliché films to enjoy.