Outlaws and Angels

Personally, I was enthralled with this Western from the start and stayed that way. It delivers twists and turns that keep you planted to your chair, and after reading some of the reviews of others, I was surprised at the 'nic picking' that went on while comparing it with the 'Hateful Eight". This movie stands on its own, and if H8 hadn't of been out, then I feel the reviews would have been more favourable. I thought it was great...it certainly turned corners and ventured into areas that would/or may offend others, yet being a lover of good movies, this 'epic' kept me glued to the screen. It is certainly well worth the watch, so you can determine for yourself.

An excellent low budget western, shot in the style of your favourite 70's westerns. I can't believe some of the negative reviews. It is well acted, well shot with some great thoughtful moments and has a nice flowing style with a few twists and turns. I really enjoyed this film leading up to a great last half hour.

It helps being a huge fan of westerns but I think some reviewers think the western starts and finishes with the Hateful Eight.

This film deserves more than 5.4. If you are a fan of westerns check it out. If you are 16 years of age move on,,

Can't wait to see more from this writer director.

Criminales e Angelis! That might as well have been the name of this film that oddly pays homage to the classic Spaghetti Westerns. Unsavoury characters, ultra violence, twisty plot, offensive scenes it had it all. You couldn't like any of these people. Even the supposed lawmen were unsavoury. One almost expected everyone in the film to be dubbed except for a few main characters. Dubbing might have helped (or subtitles) as it seemed that almost everyone mumbled but you got the drift.

A band of outlaws (criminales) rob a bank in some dusty unnamed western town complete with hoods. Innocent people get killed (they are just bystanders after all). They escape but one of them is hit as they leave town. From there on its a rough ride as they wind up holing up with a christian family and everything becomes twisty, and ugly with gore and scenes enough to make you cringe. But the sets are great and the feel of being trapped in a place with a band of outlaws, a screaming christian mother and the very unsavoury minister of a father with their two daughters.

To give it even better feel of a being a spaghetti western there is the Clint Eastwood connection. Clint's former live-in Francis Fisher plays a somewhat hysteric christian woman while the daughter of Clint's and Francis's years together Francesca Eastwood is the the Angeli of the title. And what an Angeli she makes. Francis Fisher also played Ruth Dewitt Bukater, Rose's mother in Titanic and Strawberry Alice in Eastwood's Unforgiven.

As gore piles upon gore and cringing scenes pile on cringing scenes and the body count rises one is reminded that others can do what Tarantino and Peckinpah have done before. You can't like any these characters but you do admire the way the actors play them making it all seem too real. Just like the old spaghetti westerns.

LJ'S QUICK MOVIE REVIEW:

"Outlaws and Angels", directed by JT Mollner, is a Western that takes place in the unforgiving American frontier. It follows the story of three wanted bank robbers that take refuge in a troubled family's home.

The movie's script features violence, crime, love, and revenge. As the movie progresses, the seemingly ordinary characters reveal darker and freakish sides to their lives. Emphasis is put on cynicism, human fears, and role of women in Western society. However, several characters never get the screen time they deserve. Their transformations often feel rushed and awkward.

Visually, the movie captures the essence of a Western. The colors and tone used in the film make for a very immersive experience. The movie is also shot using 35mm film, which adds to the gritty and grainy feel. Clearly, a great deal of effort was put into the detailed set-pieces, costumes, and makeup.

Overall, "Outlaws and Angels" is a movie with intriguing characters and high-quality visuals, but the flaws in its script and editing slightly compromise the experience.

LJ's Grade: C , 6.4/10

To be honest, Django Unchained and the Hateful Eight are better Westerns and were both released recently.

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Besides writer/director JT Mollner deciding to create his own unique vision of a western where the three fugitive bank robbers hold a preacher named George Tildon (Ben Browder), his wife Ada (Teri Polo) and two daughters hostage the bank robbers have a continuing dwindling posse chasing them and the story just gets weirder and weirder.

The posse chasing the bank robbers is led by Josiah (Luke Wilson) who tries to lead his posse through intimidation and with idle threats but quite frankly he cannot even protect himself from of all people, the preachers half dead wife? Then there is the leader of the bank robbers named Henry (played by Chad Michael Murray) who takes a shining to the preacher's youngest daughter Florence Tildon (Francesca Eastwood) who has some secrets she wants to share with Henry.

In other real suspense films, the director/editor will purposely lower the actors voice so as to hold the audience's attention but this director, JT Mollner took this approach to extreme with his star Henry (Chad Michael Murray). Not only does Henry's voice come to almost a whisper, he mumbles most of his dialogue such that I thought the film would need to include sub titles because the quiet language Henry was whispering/mumbling was certainly not English no matter how many times I attempted to rewind what the heck he was mumbling.

If you enjoy seeing faces and heads being riddled with bullets and brain matter landing on the shooters own face then maybe you could be remotely satisfied. Or maybe incest, or male on male anal sex is your thing, then this film may appeal to you. I found it disgusting for a western and I do not object to violence just to sensationalism for garnering false attention. The dialogue was also very boring and extremely slow moving but I still hung in there which is why I did not rate the film any lower than a 4 out of 10. At least the ending was a bit of a surprise which I will not divulge so that you can also sit through the entire film and see if you agree or disagree with my review.