TOMBSTONE review
(Reviewed by Melody Werner)
Tombstone is a 1993 Western directed by George P. Cosmatos. Starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, it was met with positive acclaim and box office success. Following the adventures of Wyatt Earp (Russell), based on real life events. I've heard a lot of good things about Tombstone, so it's been on my list for quite some time.
The sets in Tombstone are slick and fitting. They build the film's atmosphere well. The wardrobes are also nice, it reeks Western as much as the last Western I looked at, 3:10 to Yuma (2007). The cinematography never bothered me and seemed well shot to me, but I'm no expert in that respect (I only really take notice at cinematography when it's really bad like The Great Gatsby (2013) or The Italian Job (2003)), so take it with a pinch of salt. The musical score's great, kind of blends into the background. In a good way, of course. The action sequences are really tense and cool--not bombastic, more methodical and intimidating.
The narrative of Tombstone is not the grandest or best by a country mile (get it?), but it's well executed and rather compelling. It's also highly satisfying and a bit of an emotional roller coaster. When characters die, it tugged at my heart strings. Which brings me to the characters: I liked most of them. They were damaged, flawed, but also likable. Some felt like they were superfluous, but didn't get in the way if they were. I wasn't too fond of his love interest, she was a bit dull and stupid I think. She did get in the way, but didn't hijack the movie like what happened in The Town. The dialogue is well written with some good snipes between characters. The pacing towards the end felt too quick, like it was a dash from when they go for a reckoning and the climax. It definitely felt weaker there, with less compelling drama and less tension.
Tombstone is really fucking good. A very enjoyable Western, never lost my interest. It's got all the shootouts and saloons, but crafts a superb film with that setting, as all of its good ilk do. It does falter in some areas, keeping it from being a classic for me, but it was definitely worth watching. Tombstone gets a 9/10.
Excellent
Summary:
A top-notch Western which suffers some from a rushed ending, a bland romantic side-plot, and some boring characters. Where it excels, however, trumps that all, those places being the great plot, mostly fantastic characters, tense gunfights, great polish, and strong dialogue. It still holds up today due to the lack of anything dated.
(originally posted: 2/7/2017)
Tombstone is a 1993 Western directed by George P. Cosmatos. Starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, it was met with positive acclaim and box office success. Following the adventures of Wyatt Earp (Russell), based on real life events. I've heard a lot of good things about Tombstone, so it's been on my list for quite some time.
The sets in Tombstone are slick and fitting. They build the film's atmosphere well. The wardrobes are also nice, it reeks Western as much as the last Western I looked at, 3:10 to Yuma (2007). The cinematography never bothered me and seemed well shot to me, but I'm no expert in that respect (I only really take notice at cinematography when it's really bad like The Great Gatsby (2013) or The Italian Job (2003)), so take it with a pinch of salt. The musical score's great, kind of blends into the background. In a good way, of course. The action sequences are really tense and cool--not bombastic, more methodical and intimidating.
The narrative of Tombstone is not the grandest or best by a country mile (get it?), but it's well executed and rather compelling. It's also highly satisfying and a bit of an emotional roller coaster. When characters die, it tugged at my heart strings. Which brings me to the characters: I liked most of them. They were damaged, flawed, but also likable. Some felt like they were superfluous, but didn't get in the way if they were. I wasn't too fond of his love interest, she was a bit dull and stupid I think. She did get in the way, but didn't hijack the movie like what happened in The Town. The dialogue is well written with some good snipes between characters. The pacing towards the end felt too quick, like it was a dash from when they go for a reckoning and the climax. It definitely felt weaker there, with less compelling drama and less tension.
Tombstone is really fucking good. A very enjoyable Western, never lost my interest. It's got all the shootouts and saloons, but crafts a superb film with that setting, as all of its good ilk do. It does falter in some areas, keeping it from being a classic for me, but it was definitely worth watching. Tombstone gets a 9/10.
Excellent
Summary:
A top-notch Western which suffers some from a rushed ending, a bland romantic side-plot, and some boring characters. Where it excels, however, trumps that all, those places being the great plot, mostly fantastic characters, tense gunfights, great polish, and strong dialogue. It still holds up today due to the lack of anything dated.
(originally posted: 2/7/2017)
Comments
Post a Comment