em-632-781000

At my age, after many decades of watching westerns, still my favorite genre, I think back to the golden age of the western, in which the native American was generally depicted as a bloodthirsty savage, and now comes this film, not the first, but certainly one of the best to humanize him. As always, the landscape is an important backdrop, and it is shown in all its beauty, and solitude. Bale, one of our best actors, inhabits this character believably, in one of his best performances. Others do equally well in presenting an engaging story, with the possible exception of Rosalind Pike, who struggles a bit to resemble a pioneer wife. Having grown up on Darlin' Clementine, The Ox Bow Incident, and Shane, that for me at least still stand at the pinnacle of the genre, I found this film very worthwhile, and watchable. For those looking for a more traditional shootout, I would look elsewhere. If you enjoy a slow paced character study, with intervals of excitement, this one is for you. I liked it quite a lot, Bale especially well.

If you're hoping for a conventional film, events occur, reactions and consequences follow, then you may be disappointed in the glacial pacing of this one, and somewhat confused about where it is leading you. It gains a bit of momentum, and begins to involve you, at a visceral level, you empathize with the characters, but the takeaway is difficult to grasp. It is a reflection on life and death, both of which, in this view, are complicated, and somewhat sad. For some reason I can't really explain, I rather liked it. If you'll pardon my saying so, it is rather haunting. Like life itself, it pushes you to the edge of understanding, and then leaves you wondering.

The textual quality of the film is very much old school, with carefully controlled lighting, amid brooding oaks, and candlelit interiors, masterfully photographed by Pierre Le Sourd, and the performances, except where the script demands it, are restrained. It's inevitable that it will be compared to the earlier version, with Clint Eastwood as the hapless Corporal, that many critics of the present film seem to prefer. I liked the Eastwood version, but I prefer this one for a number of reasons beyond the brilliant cinematography. The sound mix is excellent as well, with no intrusive sounds to disturb the solitude of the place, except for the occasional rumble of distant artillery, and the music does not overpower the narrative. It is not a perfect film, but it is a very good one, for those who have a taste for it. Having grown up in the south, many decades ago, in a quieter world, and a more polite one, when the echoes of the war could almost still be heard, perhaps influenced my opinion. Not for everyone, but for me a very good film indeed.