User reviews

Movie that takes place in the 30s it was truly well done and very well thought out. This movie created the mystery of bonnie and clyde and the drama and havoc the created throughout the south. The true story of these 2 retired rangers made this all the more appealing. Kevin costner was a magnificent choice for haymer! Harrelson was perfect as his partner. I really enjoyed the big names in this movie down to Kathy bates. Very happy with the detail this film portrayed.

It's 1934. Bonnie Parker helps Clyde Barrow escape a Texas prison work gang. Governor Miriam "Ma" Ferguson (Kathy Bates) faces public pressure. Frank Hamer (Kevin Costner) is recruited to be a highwayman with orders to take down the rampaging fugitives. He and his partner Maney Gault (Woody Harrelson) are former Texas Rangers which was disbanded in those more civilized times. The duo tracks the fugitives to their ultimate ambush deaths in Louisiana.

Netflix seems to be taking over these medium sized films. This one tackles Bonnie & Clyde but from the other side. It's fascinating that Bonnie & Clyde were and continue to be media sensations. There are countless versions of them on the small screen and the big screen. They are cultural icons. They're basically shorthand for criminal Romeo & Juliet. They are cool and hot. They are the excitement and the romantic. Almost nothing is given to those who hunted and killed them. So it's really fascinating to see these icons with the eyes of their pursuers. Whether it's Costner, the time period, or the criminal icons, this reminds me of a harsher and less glossy The Untouchables. Bonnie & Clyde are more like side characters. They are the shark in Jaws. This paints a heroic weary picture of Hamer and Gault. These are old gunslingers from the Ole West. The truth is a little muddier. The ambush is interesting which does something more than the usual. The production is pretty good although I was concerned about authenticity at the beginning. It is closer than most Hollywood production. These are great characters. Costner and Harrelson are well within their elements. This is an engaging movie as a companion piece to the countless Bonnie & Clyde movies.

This is an extremely well put together, engaging and entertaining telling of the pursuit of Bonnie and Clyde. Woody Harrelson is at the top of his form. He's played the part of the hardbitten lawman before, but it keeps getting better. And Costner does almost as well. The interplay is absorbing and extremely well written and acted.

In western culture we love our bandit myths and legends, which for some reasons celebrate some fairly nasty characters. Knowing the real story of Bonnie and Clyde, as opposed to the myth created by the contemporary news media and J. Edgar Hoover, always made Arthur Penns near worshipful portrayal of these two blood drenched spree murderers jarring. Bonnie and Clyde were bloodthirsty sociopaths, who in fact ambushed and murdered a fair number of people, including shooting unarmed store clerks in the back. Bonnie and Clyde were not "sticking it to the man" robbing big business like banks as much as they were in fact robbing and killing owners of small stores and then committing cold blooded murder of policemen trying to stop the mass murder spree.

The ultimate "ambush" of Bonnie and Clyde was not some planned execution, it was the result of the simple fact that those two had, withing seconds of being stopped, routinely murdered police who stopped them. They also did most of their murders with simple revolvers and sawed off shotguns, and almost none of the guns used were machine guns (a documented invention of Hoover's FBI; of the twenty or so people Bonnie and Clyde shot exactly one was shot with a machine gun). Hoover was fixated on above all else a) trying to prove that his agency's high tech of the time was the best avenue, despite all evidence to the contrary, b) distracting from, even to the point of denying the existence of, organized crime that Prohibition he supported had created. Hence his spinning of "celebrity" criminals like Dillinger and Bonnie and Clyde, which also fit his narrative that we needed a national police force.

In fact FBI in fact made a mess out of their pursuit of Bonnie and Clyde, and it was old fashioned policing by two standard state lawmen that put an end to their violent spree.

So watch this film to see great buddy cop tension, and character interplay. Seriously as good as True Detective level. And a subtle subtext of well done but not over the top critique of Penn's worshipful portrayal of these two hyperviolent criminals in his 1967 film. The bumbling lawmen myth attached to to the 1967 film is also blown away. Bonnie and Clyde's murder and crime spree ranged over an area of 600,000 square miles, and it was old fashioned hard-bitten police work that got them.

Lastly the period work is another very well done element. Not just the visual elements, but the the dialogue. Instead of the fictitious Hepburn-Tracy like, now laughable, staccato dialogue of the 1967 film, we get a much more accurate laconic way of speaking at that time. More is said in fewer words between Harrelson and Costner.

Give it a watch, you will not be disappointed, although your prior positive views of the one-dimensional 67 film, may change.

Well, it's a hunt. And not much of it at that. The story lies within a very narrow confine of our two lead characters. There's enough background to make sense. Screenplay is mostly taut and the direction is good. But it is Harrelson and Costner that bring it all to mean much more than its mere sum. Both are excellent ... especially Costner who takes to westerns and baseball flicks like duck to water. Watch it for these two for there's not much else that you cannot gather from wikipedia.

Nevertheless one of the better addition to Netflix. Nice!

Haven't seen alot of Netflix movies but this is the best Netflix movie I have seen.

The acting of Woody Harreloson and Kevin Costner was superb.

The pace of the movie is quite slow and there were times were the movie was kinda boring.

I love the bathroom scene and the scene when they are playing cards and gives us a backstory of Gault and Hamer.

This is the True story of 2 Texas Rangers who both came out of retirement to hunt down the notorious Bonnie and Clyde. Frank Hamer (Costner) and Maney Gault (Harrelson) team up and hit the road after being hired by Texas Governor Ma Ferguson(Bates) and the Prison Warden(J K Lynch) from where Barrow escaped. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were as famous as Movie Stars back in the 1930's and this is effectively portrayed especially at the end. Costner and Harrelson pairing works well and though maybe a bit long the Movie does its Job and so did the Bullets!

The cinematography, sets and costumes were all, first rate. It's this kind of attention to detail which sets this movie apart from some others. Woody Harrelson is the stand-out performer to me, but Costner more than carries his weight. The atmosphere of austerity in the Western States is palpable. Once again Netflix has nailed it, keep it up guys.

While it was good to watch a movie about Bonnie and Clyde from the view point of the men who ended there crime spree but I found it slow and a bit dull. Maybe those men where really like that in real life who knows but it don't make good viewing. It was interesting from a historical point of view just not so good from an entertaining point of view

This story is told from the other perspective that we are used to see. Two aged, recommissioned(or, actually half-recommissioned) Texas Rangers take on Bonny and Clyde and hunt them in the end using same tactics that B&C used to kill lawmen. The tempo is slow at the beginning and builds up gradually until the climax. The sedate style of storytelling is intentional to give it a more realistic feel. The director Mr. Hancock achieves that masterfully! Set-design is excellent! Camerawork follows the happenings from the perspective of Pancho and Manny, and you get a clear idea of what they are facing while dealing with such criminals. There are some intense moments that will keep you on the edges of your seats! Finally, the acting. Superb! A plus straightaway! The screen chemistry of Costner and Harrelson works like magic, and their banter wont let you feel that you are actually watching a hunting party involving some deep criminals. The last scene is simply impeccable! I'd say its a solid eight-outta-ten!

It's a good movie.The acting was so good. I loved everything about this movie. The dialogues were good as well. Woody and Kevin were at their best. I recommend everyone to watch this movie.

The discussion in between Clyde's father (William Sadler) and Hamer (Costner) is an instant classic, that remains imprinted in the memory. Same goes for the poker table scene ...

Harrowing

Yes, this is a slow burning movie. Maybe not the kind of movie that everybody want to watch. So, think it twice. First, let me tell you Kevin and Woodie performances are amazing. Two great actors that made this movie greater than it is. On the other hand the lack of action is maybe a flawless point, and the story line could be far better. Overall a solid movie if you want to watch two great actors in a road trip with a mission to accomplish.

Great cast, looks gorgeous and shows the story from an interesting perspective but it's about 40 minutes too long. The pacing of the whole movie stalls to a stop quite a few times and never picks up above a crawl. Even the confrontation is extruciating. Shame as it does look so good. Maybe a good editor could cut it down a bit. Worth a watch just for the cars alone.

We all saw the movie Bonnie and Clyde (1967) directed by Arthur Penn. In France, we all heard the eponymous song (Brigitte Bardot and Serge Gainsbourg, 1968). The Highwaymen is a mirror version with two retired Rangers in pursuit of the infamous outlaws Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, considered as Robin Hood and his beloved wife by the plebs. A dead or alive hunt, in the 30's. Knowing that dead is a priori more practical, we suspect from the outset, even if we do not know the story, that it will probably be the chosen solution. In many aspects, I perceive the atmosphere of Unforgiven (1992) directed by Clint Eastwood, with its predictable and ineluctable ending, with cars and heavy machine guns instead of horses and Remingtons.

The actors, the photography, the costumes, the cars, the atmosphere of the post-1929 Great Depression, the rhythm, the dialogues, the soundtrack, ... This is an excellent movie! As a synthesis: 8/9 of 10.

Distributed by Netflix this 2019 Casey Silver produced film is a period crime drama set in the 1930's which tells the story of two former Texas Rangers who are hired to track down the notorious criminals Bonnie & Clyde. Stuck in development hell for nearly 15 years, what was originally going to be a Universal Pictures film nearly did not get made until Netflix bought the project in 2018.

Its 1934 and America is in 'the great depression'. Bonnie & Clyde have been on the run for two years, in which time they have broke some of their gang out of prison, and they have continued a spree of violence. Begrudgingly, former Texas Ranger Frank Hamer (Kevin Costner) is brought out of retirement to help authorities, and he seduces his former colleague Benjamin Maney Gault (Woody Harrelson) to the cause too. Using all the old tricks from their past, and learning some new tricks along the way, the senior rangers hunt for Bonnie Parker (Emily Brobst) and Clyde Barrow (Edward Bossert) to bring them to justice, or to give America freedom from their heinous crimes.

Having seen different variations of the Bonnie and Clyde story, including the 1967 "Bonnie and Clyde" film, I expected this film to feature the notorious criminals more than it did. I was surprised but delighted that instead of just focusing on them, this film followed two of the lawmen that were trying to track them down. It was refreshing to see the story from the other side rather than glorifying the criminals like previous films and TV series have.

Costner and Harrelson perform well as the former Texas Rangers. With the star power that the pair have it would be easy not to believe in their characters, but they feel authentic in the roles and deliver them with credibility.

The cinematography on display is superb. The construction of the landscape and scenery is done well and looks gorgeous. At times, the sweat and the dirt in the scenes seems to ooze out of the screen and into the pores of the audience. There are apparently some historical inaccuracies compared to what has been written about the events being shown, but not enough for it to become a work of fiction. It treads the path of fact carefully, to the point that the director tried to work close to the actual Bonnie & Clyde trail as he could -filming in the same locations (or as close as possible) to where real crimes occurred.

The pace of the film has been criticized in some of the reviews I have read. While it was not the quickest film, I did not personally have a problem with it. I think the film needed to be a slow burner to build up the story and the chase. The law seems to be two steps behind all the time, and there is a noticeable shift in the last act of the film where the law has for once got ahead of the criminals. To me, the pace of the film was reminiscent of some of the crime biopics of the 1980's and 1990's. It felt like the same kind of pacing as other films I have seen Costner in, like "The Untouchables" (1987), like "JFK" (1991). Perhaps the audience that did not enjoy the pace would have preferred something with more action in, and therefore a film from the lawman's side of the chase might not be the best choice.

I enjoyed the film. I thought it was beautifully crafted and brought to life well by those in front of and behind the camera. It was entertaining to watch, and having seen previous versions of Bonnie & Clyde, I learned something new here, instead of just been romanticized by their folklore exploits of robbing the rich and giving to the poor. Some films are all-ages and can be watched by everyone, I would put this film in the grown-up film category and suggest it needs maturity and patience to enjoy it. It's a film that feels old fashioned, not just because to the 1930's period it depicts, but also in the way that this 2019 film unfolds. Real acting, simple story, basic plot with no rush and no CGI to get the audience to the end. Refreshing.

This movie is a great entertainment for whoever needs a more old shcool type of film to have a break from the modern over the top trend. It's a story based on true events, the legendary coupke of criminals, this time told on the perspective of the Rangers who had to catch them. Very well told without the need to big CG shots or crazy special effects, everything is sober and it does have pretty and clean photography.

The acting is good to watch, a real pleasure when Kevin Costner and Wody Harrelson have their shiny moments as actors when the scene requires a bit of monologue to set their character's backstory.

About Woody Harrelson's character saying "Manos Arribas" 3 or 4 times, I think that the broken spanish was intentional as a means to portray the real Maney Gault, who apparently wouldn't exactly be a gifted person for languages. I thought that was a funny nice touch.

Kevin Costner was born for this role and was superb!

Such a gritty, entertaining film that, instead of glorifying the horrific acts of Bonnie and Clyde, they focus on the true heroes of the story played brilliantly by Costner and Harrelson.

Great work, Netflix!

A well acted 30's period piece about the pursuit of Bonnie & Clyde. It's a slow burner but the sets and presence of Costner and Harrelson keep you watching. A watchable top quality crime thriller about two detectives trying to trap the notorious couple.

An aging Kevin Costner and Woddy Harlson teamed up on an epic adventure, dosen't get much better than that. This reminds me of "Cowboy Way" with Woddy and Keifer Southerland in it's begining. But really, Costner as ex Texas Ranger (retired) Frank A Hammer was a true delight. I had allways had trouble putting a face on Hammer and the only other one I had was the Bonnie and Clyde movie with Warren Beatty. The whole production was outstanding without once showing any actions of Bonnie and Clyde and concentrating on Hammers struggles with FBI and other law enforcement agencies. Cathy Bates role as Texas Governor was perfect. A movie that should not be missed

Greetings again from the darkness. Setting one's film up to be compared to a long time classic can be quite challenging for a filmmaker, but that's precisely the situation director John Lee Hancock finds himself. Known for crowd-pleasers like THE FOUNDER, SAVING MR BANKS, and THE BLIND SIDE, Mr. Hancock delivers a Netflix film destined to face off against Arthur Penn's 1967 classic BONNIE AND CLYDE. Where the earlier film focused on the anti-hero celebrity (and beautiful faces) of the young outlaws, this latest film flips the lens and puts law enforcement (particularly grizzled veterans) front and center (Bonnie and Clyde are barely glimpsed until near the end).

The film begins with a well-planned and deadly prison break in 1934 and then moves into a meeting where Lee Simmons (John Carroll Lynch) of the Department of Corrections is pitching Texas Governor "Ma" Ferguson (Kathy Bates) on his idea of reactivating the defunct Texas Rangers, and bringing legendary lawman Frank Hamer out of retirement. It's pretty simple - the FBI and its new-fangled forensics is failing miserably in tracking down Bonnie and Clyde, and the hope is that Hamer and his old-fashioned detective work will succeed.

Kevin Costner plays Frank Hamer, and we first see him and his well-trained pet pig trying to enjoy a peaceful retirement at home with his wife Gladys (Kim Dickens). Not long after, he's joined by his old partner Maney Gault (Woody Harrelson), who is down on his luck, drinks too much, and is in desperate need of a purpose. Thus begins the buddy road trip featuring the no-nonsense Hamer and the quipster Gault. Not many play self-importance better than Costner, and few deliver wisecracks better than Woody.

The screenplay comes from John Fusco, whose previous western projects include HIDALGO and YOUNG GUNS. Though this isn't a traditional western, it has most of the expected elements. Aging lawmen chasing colorful outlaws. Good versus evil. Right versus Wrong. While it's a relief the film doesn't romanticize the Barrow gang and their violent ways, it's a bit frustrating to see that the movie tries to make Hamer and Gault as famous and iconic as the outlaws they were chasing. Sure Bonnie's fashion influenced many women of the era, but that had to be nauseating for those lawmen in pursuit who were putting their lives on the line. In the 1967 film, Denver Pyle played Frank Hamer in a shamefully written role, and here Costner strikes so many hero poses and seems to invoke mystical ESP abilities in his police work, that we half expect Hamer to walk on water at some point.

The best part of the film is watching Costner and Harrelson work together, with the latter really making this work on whatever level it does. Additionally, there is a scene with Hamer and Clyde's dad that features William Sadler in a cameo. I don't know if this meeting actually took place in real life, but it teases what the film could have been. As a fantasy for cinema aficionados, the project was originally intended to be a vehicle for Robert Redford and Paul Newman, but just never progressed. Combine that with BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID and THE STING, and you'd have an unmatched triumvirate of buddy greatness. Hancock's film certainly pales in comparison to the 1967 film, but it's a worthy story that deserves to be told.

No action or interesting story line. A complete waste of two good actors.

The most interesting part of this movie was the end credits when they showed real photos of the people involved in this story. Aside from a couple short-lived slightly intriguing scenes, the rest of this movie was agonizingly slow. Just painful. Very confused at all these great reviews. I give some credit for the props and costumes, but overall, this was not a good way to spend 2 hours of my life.