Rust

Joel Souza's Rust, finally seeing release in 2025 after a tumultuous and tragic production, arrives with a weight of expectation and somber reflection. The film itself, a Western centered on an outlaw grandfather and his estranged grandson on the run, attempts to capture the rugged beauty and inherent dangers of the American frontier. Souza's direction leans into the stark landscapes and the simmering tensions between its characters, aiming for a raw and authentic portrayal of a harsh and unforgiving era. The narrative, while familiar in its Western tropes, seeks to explore themes of family, legacy, and the cyclical nature of violence against the backdrop of a dusty, unforgiving landscape.

Alec Baldwin, in the lead role, delivers a performance that is both weathered and weary, embodying the grizzled outlaw with a palpable sense of history and regret. His portrayal anchors the film, providing a focal point for the unfolding drama and the grandson's coming-of-age journey amidst perilous circumstances. The supporting cast, while perhaps overshadowed by the film's production context, contributes to the authenticity of the setting, populating the frontier with believable and often desperate individuals. The film's visual style emphasizes the natural environment, utilizing wide shots to capture the vastness and isolation of the setting, contrasted with close-ups that highlight the emotional toll on its characters.

However, it's impossible to divorce the viewing experience from the tragic on-set incident that resulted in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. This shadow inevitably hangs over the film, coloring every scene and performance with a layer of unintended poignancy. While Souza bravely returns to complete his vision, the film's artistic merits are constantly juxtaposed with the real-world tragedy that occurred during its making. This creates a complex and often uncomfortable viewing experience, where appreciation for the filmmaking is intertwined with a profound sense of loss and the ethical considerations surrounding its release.

Despite the inherent challenges, Rust as a film showcases moments of genuine cinematic merit. Souza's commitment to telling this particular story of familial bonds and survival in the Old West is evident in the film's pacing and atmosphere. There are sequences that effectively build tension and capture the brutality of the era. The performances, particularly Baldwin's, offer glimpses of the intended emotional depth. Yet, the pervasive awareness of the tragedy remains an undeniable element of the film's reception, shaping its legacy in ways that no artistic critique can fully address.

Ultimately, Rust is a film that exists in a complex space, its narrative achievements forever intertwined with the real-life tragedy that marred its production. While Joel Souza manages to deliver a Western with moments of compelling storytelling and strong performances, the film's release serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of filmmaking. It's a viewing experience that demands not only critical assessment but also a degree of somber reflection on the events that overshadowed its creation.

I have written an unpublished book about the accidental shooting of Halyna Hutchins and Joel Souza on the New Mexico set of Rust. My book is about how accidents happen, not the movie. I am not a fan of Westerns nor low budget movies but I enjoyed Rust. Joel Souza surprised me with a well written movie, a depth of characters and morality that I did not expect. Wood Helm and Lucas Rust characters were well acted and Alec Baldwin never over shadowed his co-stars in a reserved portrayal of a broken man. I hope everyone pays to see Rust. Any proceeds go to Halyna Hutchins per an end of credits video. Halyna's death was a terrible accident caused by many foreseeable and unforeseeable events. Tragic if people feel it does not honor Ms. Hutchins going to see the movie.

There are 3 groups of people downvoting this movie:

• Political groups that despise Alec Baldwin
• People that think he should have abandoned it because of the death that occured while filing. Or thought Alec was responsible
• Some that maybe weren't expecting an old fashioned western

If you filter out those views, its a solid if imperfect yarn of a western.

We really enjoyed it for what it is - a small(ish) budget old school western that resembles movies from a different era.

The movie is not short on action, but spends a fair amount of time on scenery and character development.

I guess these days that's "too slow" for some.

Of course I had heard about this movie prior to watching it. I mean, it was after all the movie that caused quite a ruckus for Alec Baldwin given the situation with a firearm loaded with live rounds.

I have to say that the storyline and narrative was not the most interesting, and it struggled with slow pacing, which made it somewhat of a dull viewing experience to sit through two hours and nineteen minutes of watching it. There was a whole lot of talking throughout the course of the movie and not particularly much in the action department.

The movie does have a good cast ensemble, with the likes of Alec Baldwin, Jake Busey, Frances Fisher, Josh Hopkins, Xander Berkeley, Abraham Benrubi and Travis Fimmel. So you are in rather capable company throughout the course of the movie. The acting performances in the movie were good, which I figure was needless to point out.

"Rust" does look and feel like a proper Western, so thumbs up to the set designers, wardrobe, props, etc. That made it a bit more bearable to sit through the narrative.

This is a movie for diehard fans of the Western genre. I sat down to watch it as a casual viewer and I was struggling to keep having an interest in the sluggish narrative. I will not be returning to watch "Rust" a second time, as I was struggling enough to get through it the first time.

My rating of writer and director Joel Souza's 2024 movie "Rust" lands on a four out of ten stars.

Definitely worth the watch. Good acting, good story line, and it was all well done. I didn't find it slow at all. Captured our attention from the start, and the characters all made you sympathize with each of them in one way or another. They were all likeable, too. Would watch it again, and would recommend to anyone.

I get the politics around the release of the film, but this review is about the film, not any particular point of view.

If you don't agree with it being released, then don't watch it. But don't give it a poor rating because you don't agree with something that has nothing to do with the film itself.