Review: Gritty "Appaloosa" gives real sense of life in the Old West

"Appaloosa" continues in the modern tradition of serious westerns tearing away at myths and exploring the gritty reality of our past. Though I don't believe "Appaloosa" is the "first Oscar caliber film of the season," as its ads want to promote, I do say that "Appaloosa" is a really good western, and with the quantity of bad to terrible films filling our screens lately, it is the best film of the season, so far.

The film tells the story of the new and quite small town of Appaloosa trying its best to become a place where families and businesses can prosper, but when big-time rancher Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons), who might or might not have ties to the President of the United States, murders the town's sheriff with the ease and attitude of someone without fear or conscience, the town elders must act.

Virgil Cole (Ed Harris, who is also the writer and director) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) are for-hire peacekeepers and are called to town to restore law and order. Their fee is reasonable but their requirements are harsh; they demand complete freedom in the pursuit of justice and require the law to fit their needs, whatever that might be. Though the elders are quite worried, they feel the men are just and good and agree to the terms.

The story, of course, follows the basic western formula from there, except in its portrayal of the West. The audience gets a real sense of the slow languid passage of time in a town like Appaloosa, and though there might be complaints that the film is slow, or that parts could have been cut, I think those moments allow the audience to become connected with the story. In our world of instant action with cell phones and the Internet, the idea of waiting till tomorrow to act, or at least waiting to finish your coffee before pulling out the guns is refreshing.

The Clint Eastwood film "Unforgiven" touched on the reality of life lived in the hard West, but "Appaloosa" gives you the moments. It lets you live there for a while. Harris, Mortensen and every single actor is perfectly cast. Unlike many films that can never seem to rid the "movie star in a cowboy hat" syndrome, "Appaloosa" looked be inhabited by the real folks.

Shot in anamorphic widescreen, "Appaloosa" is a feast for the eyes. It's filled with wide vistas and beautiful landscapes. The colors are deep and rich, and you can almost taste the dust. Watching a simple scene of two men sitting on a porch in this style of filmmaking has you longing for the days of Vista-Vision and CinemaScope.