Calamity Jane

The push from the studios for diversity and equality delivers us movies like this. Half rate action, changing accents, characters treated with reverence/respect/caution without any backstory to justify it, and an underwhelming end product.

I *get* that people want representation and variety, but this felt forced and contrived. Maybe we've been spoilt for choice with the range of modern westerns (Deadwood, No Country For Old Men, 1883) but this is not even close to the same league. It felt like it delivered WNBA level excitement. Acting is sub par, accents weren't consistent, and even the set/cinematography felt too CGI to be believable.

Watched on a whim - don't necessarily regret it, but won't be recommending it to anyone.

...and settle in for a re-watch of Deadwood, the brilliant TV series that features far better acttors & depictions of Jane & Bill. This thing is a train wreck that dares to take these names in vain. Muddled and incoherent from the start, with ill-placed soundtrack music that just adds to the irritation.

Now, for the rest of the required word count - my favorite westerns, among which I count the above-mentioned TV series - The Unforgiven, The Good, The Bad & the Ugly, Hell Or High Water, The Long Riders, a whole bunch more Eastwood films, Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, Lone Star, McCabe & Mrs. Miller. Lonesome Dove TV series...

Poor acting and direction is what putting me off. Not sure why the first review had it as 10? Perhaps their relative who enjoyed the family show. There are plenty of actions and kilings just like typical western movies. I suggest the old western movies had alot better actors then this film has. It is like watching C Grade western movie with students from drama school. They definitely need a far better director who can able to see what the audience can see. Nah, it was a waste of time for me. If you don't mind poor acting and enjoy watching them like on stage, then this will be you. I give a three.

In 2024 I expected that they would be able to produce a movie far better than in 1953. It's far from that! Bad amaturish acting with an overexaggerated played accent. The sets and clothing are not authentic enough. Most scenes are predictable. The jail scene, the poker scene, the scene at the mine. With more creativity this could have been a better movie.

The good part? I have to think! Maybe it's the part with the undertaker. It comes pretty close to some exitement. But as said, I had to think about it.

I had to do my best to keep watching. All in all very a very dissapointing western for me.

Ready to settle down for an enjoyable new western movie than you have found it with Calamity Jane. Good nicely paced story - fast real looking action scenes and realistic gun fights and physical fights. Striking cinematography of the western landscape. An enjoyable western to watch. Realistic and natural sounding dialog that makes you feel that you are right back in the 1800's in the fabled Dakota territory. Deadwood was a rip roaring place full of rough and tough characters such as Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane and the characters in this movie seem very true to life and believable and are well played by the selected actors.