Jane Got a Gun

Heck of a Western, I expected it would be good before I viewed it when I saw Joel Edgerton had a major role in the movie

Edgerton can really bring it as a lead or support role. And he didn't disappoint.

But I was extremely impressed with Portman. She has picked some stinker roles in the past however she proved IMO she is no longer just the pretty face and she has honed her craft to be a very good actor.

Blows my mind that IMDb is only giving this movie a rating of 5.9 I am a big fan of westerns and I don't hand out high ratings with a whim or fancy.

Good to see Ewan McGregor in a small role. I thought he nailed his part, as well.

.. a ranch and a bunch of other stuff (including something attributed to men when they are fearless/a lot of courage). While many have seen or rather predicted the death of the Western "genre" (some might argue it's not a genre itself, just putting this out there), it's still alive and kicking and this movie is testament to that fact.

Natalie Portman is a great actress and she saw something in the character here, that made her want to play the role. It had to do with both the toughness and the vulnerability of her. The script may be predictable (the flashbacks give out bits and peaces, but you can put it together far ahead of the time, so I don't think there are too many surprises, except maybe for the ending), but you can't fault the setups and everything the film does to portray what is going on. Some might feel it's too long and there is definitely not enough action for others, but those who stick with it get a nice story

This film opens in a remote New Mexico homestead in 1871. Bill 'Ham' Hammond returns home to his wife Jane and their five year old daughter. He is seriously injured following a run in with the Bishop Gang; a group of outlaws he was once part of. He warns that they will be coming for him. She seeks help from neighbour Bill Frost but he is initially unwilling to help; it looks as if she will have to face the gang alone or abandon her husband and flee. As the story progresses as learn more of Jane's past; especially how she is linked to Frost and how she came to be with Ham. Inevitably it all end with a showdown with Bishop and his gang.

When I picked up this film on DVD I knew nothing about it but I enjoy a western so thought it was worth a go. It turned out to be a solid example of the genre even if it will never be considered a classic. The story is simple, which isn't a problem, but it also lacks action for long spell which is. Until the final showdown, which is fairly exciting, we only get a couple of action scenes set in the present and one flashback of Ham rescuing Jane several years previously. The main cast is small. Natalie Portman effectively carries the film as Jane with Joel Egderton providing solid support as Bill. Ewan McGregor is suitably menacing as John Bishop although we don't really see enough of the character. The location used is effective; it looks great and gives a real sense of isolation. Overall I'd say this isn't a must see but would still recommend it to fans of the genre.

"Life stopped being something you live after that day. It's Just something you endure." Jane Hammond (Portman) has been taking care of the homestead and her daughter while her husband is away. When he returns, injured with bad news Jane must find a way to save everyone. Her only chance is to ask her ex-lover Dan Frost (Edgerton) for help. This is a decent movie but a little slow in some parts. The movie really felt like it wanted to do more but was held back somehow. It is still better than many westerns recently, but had the possibility of being better. Portman is a good choice and the idea is interesting but there was just something missing to make this as good as it wanted to be. Some of the scenes were a little long and repetitive and really hurt the pace of the movie. On the other hand though I did like it OK but my mind started to wander in a few places. Overall, one of the better recent westerns, but was missing something to make it special. I give this a B-.

A nice, solid, little Western starring Natalie Portman and Joel Edgerton. The two were engaged before Edgerton had to go off to war, but she took off west after not having heard from him in three years. She ended up in New Mexico married to a former outlaw (Noah Emmerich) who saved her from a white slaver (Ewan McGregor? That doesn't seem right; I definitely didn't recognize him if he was the villain, and the character name on IMDb seems wrong, too). Most of that history is told in flashbacks throughout the picture. The main bulk of the story has Emmerich wounded by McGregor and his men. Portman has to defend him, and she rounds up Edgerton, who settled in the area after he found out what happened to his former fiancée, to help her protect them. The story's simple, but Portman and Edgerton carry the film nicely. They have a believable sense of history between them. It's not an action-packed film, but it delivers well when it gets to the climax. There are some weaknesses in the details of the film, especially in the flashbacks, which often seem skeletal in their scripting (Joel Edgerton co-wrote the screenplay with two others). Not great, but good.