Texas Rangers: La revanche des justiciers

TEXAS RANGERS is a movie that has the production values of a direct-to-video release and a cast of TV stars that give incredibly weak performances. I remember hearing about this movie way back in 1999 when DAWSON'S CREEK [which stars James Van Der Beek who plays Lincoln Rogers Dunnison in this movie] was only in its second season. It came out in November of last year and although I didn't get to see it when it finally came to theaters, but I did see it this weekend when I saw it on the new releases shelf at Blockbuster. It wasn't an awful movie, though it's one that I think should have just gone straight to video in stead of having a theatrical release. Maybe in a few years if this movie starts being shown on cable or gets special DVD treatment, more people will see it and it will have a small cult following. I wouldn't recommend it, yet if you are a fan of shoot 'em up westerns, you'll probably enjoy this.

These people obviously love the old "spaghetti westerns". I was expecting Clint Eastwood to show up at any time. So true to the old genre that it's almost camp. Even the music is true to the genre that I expected to hear the theme from The Good, The Bad,and the Ugly at any moment... Some of the lighting and background is obviously theatrical, and the editing from scene to scene is clipped in places. I don't know why people are complaining so much when this was obviously more than a little tongue in cheek, with a tip of the hat to Italian westerns. Hey, who needs a plot when you've got the good guys against the bad guys? Viewed in that light, it was well-done. Otherwise, hardly an historical document ;-) If you want to know about Texas, read James Mitchner...

I don't know why people are saying this is a horrible movie. It's actually a very enjoyable movie, but was a bit short, and short on character development. The actors do decently for being mostly TV actors, and the scenery was great, as well as the music. And it doesn't suffer from pacing problems. I almost wish I could have seen it in the theatre. Overall a good movie. As far as historical accuracy, I don't know, but Hollywood has been known to extend the truth a bit. For the most part, however, it is fairly believable. Don't listen to people that say it's a waste of time, make your own decision, but I believe it's at least worth a rental if not more.

A lot of people have commentated that Texas RANGERS feels like a straight to video film but I disagree and wish to point out that it seems more like a pilot for a TV series . The script and the way the cast play their roles certainly suggests this since we've got characters that seem anachronistic and could very well have become litery devices for a long running TV series . An example is of having one of the rangers as a black character , think about it he's in a Southern state and he's black ! What an obvious character to use at a later stage to explore racism . Unfortunately because none of the characters will be appearing in their own series this leads to a serious problem that many people have picked up on and that is there's no character development . In fact this makes the entire film feel totally clichéd and unconvincing

There are other serious problems such as the way the film uses an overlayed map every time the rangers move from one location to another . This happens in nearly every single scene without fail and becomes totally patronising after the first 20 times . No seriously I'm not exaggerating , if someone treks more than a few yards we see a soft focus overlay of a map come up on screen without fail . Perhaps the fact that the film was obviously NOT shot in Texas might have everything to do with this ? Anyone who has a vague notion of where Texas might be will be stratching their head asking what the rangers are doing in Montana . I'm also pretty certain that the creation of the Texas rangers didn't happen as we're shown here

TR is not a film that will satisfy everyone and I have a feeling that it will satisfy no one . Western aficionados will dislike because of its inaccurate feel while DAWSON CREEK viewers ( Am I right in thinking that this is who it was marketed for ? ) will very quickly become bored with the clichés

I sat in the theatre, watching the credits. It was nearly empty, the theatre i mean. As the other two people that had just seen this horrible train wreck of a film with me left the theatre, i hung my head and cried. I mourned the Western film genre. No not really, but that wouldnt sound too unlikely if you see this horrible nightmare. I did ask the question listed above, however. "Where have you gone Clint Eastwood?" The last good western i remember seeing was an Eastwood movie: Unforgiven. So after witnessing this "western" i begged that question. We need Eastwood, i don't care if he is 71 years old. All we need is one more good western, just one, and there will be hope left for the genre.

But, I know this will never happen. Because after viewing this...thing, and recalling American Outlaws, i have discovered the truth. It is simply this: Hollywood is attempting to kill the western. Don't deny it. Think about it. Just think about the cast of this movie. First there's James Vanderbeek (who's last name im sure i spelled wrong.) Does ANYONE out there buy Dawson as a Texas Ranger? I mean shouldn't this guy move off the creek before he tries to be a tough guy?

Next theres Ashton Kutcher: Dude Where's My Car? Enough said.

Then theres Usher: USHER?!?!? How the hell did that happen? Seriously, are you tellin me that just after the Civil War a confederate state is going to make a black guy a lawman?

So, add to the worst casting in the history of American cinema quite possibly the worst script Hollywood has puked up in the last fifty years and you have THE WORST WESTERN EVER. Where have you gone Clint, where o where have you gone?