Aces 'N' Eights

I've been watching western in my whole life mainly the classics and B-movies of fifties and sixties, but new productions using former actors to sell the picture like this is a crying shame, the plot is usual, however the Kober's gang massacre is absolutely senseless, killing for killing is totally lack of intelligence and reason, Carper Van Dien is a regular actor doesn't hold the picture, already Boxleitner has a decent acting together with Borgnine after all not enough among such mediocrity, finally the lack of beauty women in the story is another weak point, although in beginning has some they didn't participating of the movie itself and Deirdre Quinn isn't quite beauty and looks like a nun, anyway a bad movie!!

Local railroad boss William Atherton sends hired killers Jeff Kober and Bruce Boxleitner to get rid of pesky landowners like Ernest Borgnine, who refuse to sell out. Complicating things for Atherton is progressive thinking railroad executive Jack Noseworthy and Borgnine's hired hand Casper Van Dien.

A competent cast of familiar character actors try hard, but this is pretty much done in by the extreme familiarity of the material (see Once Upon A Time In The West) and the fact that the script focuses on too many characters at once, resulting in a lot of half-formed characterizations, sort of like a television series highlight reel.

As usual with director Craig R. Baxley, it's well made and the action scenes are expertly handled. However, Baxley (as well as most modern filmmakers) seems to have left out the nuances that made many of the older westerns true classics.

One thing I could never understand about these type of westerns is the railroad's desire to to take the whole ranch in order to lay a single five-foot wide track. Didn't those wackos ever hear of an easement?

Awesome Western. I have been an Earnest Borgnine fan for many years. Now in his 90's Borgnine still has that twinkle in his eye. He has made many great movies that include The Wild Bunch, The Dirty Dozen and McHales Navy and more too numerous to mention. In this one he is a ranch owner who killers employed by the railroad are trying to run off his land. Of course he says nuts to that and the shooting starts. Casper VanDien and Bruce Boxleitner are also awesome in this. Yes I recommend it. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 2/27/2021

Yes, sadly, we have a look into DVD Perdition, where ex-actors who used to be something are consigned to doing bad films.

This film has three guys who used to have name recognition- Casper Van Dien, Bruce Boxleitner and Ernest Borgnine. Hell, Ernie won an Oscar. (He's also 91 and still acting, that says a lot.)

The plot is that the railroad is coming through, and Ernest doesn't want to sell his land. The railroad hires a bunch of thugs, who used to know ranch hand van Dien. A bunch of clichéd western themes, you aren't going to mistake this for Deadwood, that's for sure.

The movie is plodding and slow, there is little chemistry between the characters. The ending is the typical showdown that John Wayne did 50 years ago and much better. Boxleitner could have been John Wayne 40 years ago, but maybe we've outgrown a need for John Wayne.

Howard (William Atherton) is in charge of the construction of a railway line. With a few properties in the way and with farmers refusing to sell because their properties are worth more than they're offered, Howard resorts to drastic measures to 'eliminate' the farmers. Tate (Jeff Kober), a ruthless man with no conscience, seems to enjoy torturing and killing the farmers.

Casper van Dien stars as Luke Rivers, who helps Thurmond Prescott (Ernest Borgnine) on his farm. He used to ride with Tate, but resorted to a new, peaceful life. His romance interest is the school teacher, Jo Tanner (Deidre Quinn). I found their romance subtle and beautiful.

The film's opening scenes set the tone for what Tate and his henchmen are capable of. This elevates the tension as negotiations with Prescott fails, and Tate planning to 'deal with him.' In the middle of all the chaos is Jess Riley (Jack Noseworthy) from the Railroad, who is trying to settle matters peacefully.

'Aces 'n Eights' is an action-packed, and fairly violent Western.