Shoot First and Pray You Live (Because Luck Has Nothing to Do with It)

Jeff Hephner is a top gunslinger. He's been one ever since he got into a gunfight with James Russo, and both men crawled away, breaking Russo's... luck? Since then, he's wandered, looking for the man he wishes to wreak vengeance on, and trying not to be killed by people who wish vengeance on him, or perhaps just wish to be thought of as the best with a fast draw. The motivations are murky, because no one mentions i, except third parties who tell the tale. What do they know of the constant pressure, the fear, the hope?

It's based on a novel by Max Brand and shows a grim, bare west, where women are scarce and superstition is everywhere. Cinematographer Bruce McCleery shoots a west that's bright and well defined, working with natural light, a far cry from his work in the artificial worlds of science fiction and superhero movies he's best known for. Screenwriter/director Lance Doty allows his audience to draw their own conclusions about what is going on and where it will lead.