With the Hallmark name attached I expected somewhat more from "Desolation Canyon" and was less than impressed and satisfied with this picture. The feature players were prominent enough to carry off their roles, but somehow Patrick Duffy didn't seem to pull it off as the grizzled sheriff of Green River. There was no hard edge to his demeanor, and even less urgency to taking up the chase after the Press Reynolds gang after they kidnap a young boy. Now I can bow to the wisdom of his older partner Sam (Stacy Keach) who seemed to know a whole lot more about the tracking business than sheriff Swede. As it turns out, the quarry includes Swede's own son turned outlaw, and the kidnapped boy is Sam's grandson Abe.The good guys are aided by an uprooted Boston banker (David Rees Snell) who knows something about handling firearms, and that's one of the twists of the story. In one of the better conceived scenes of the film, Edwin confronts bounty hunter Winters, leaving him both confounded and weaponless when he simply takes a six gun right out of his hand. On the flip side, that probably would never happen in a real life situation.Another scene defying credibility occurs when the good guy trio pauses on the trail at a saloon, soon followed by Press Reynolds (Kenny Johnson) and his main henchman Jack McAllister (Courtney Gains). Press and his boys blew up the bank at Green River, stole seven hundred dollars, and conspired with Johnny Kendrick (Victor Browne) to kidnap Johnny's son. With all the build up aimed at convincing the viewer what a fearsome reputation Sam Kendrick had as a gunman, the movie could have been almost over right then and there. But nothing happened.At least some credit goes to the kidnapped boy Abe, wisely leaving a wooden toy horse on the trail as a clue to follow. Later when one of the wounded outlaws is left to oversee the boy, and just as I finished saying to myself the kid just ought to get up and go, the kid just gets up and goes! However take away points for running into an open field where the gang picks him up again to resume the cat and mouse game.As other posters on the film have noted, clichés abound, mainly written for Patrick Duffy's character, but the one that came out wildly but unintentionally funny was uttered by hard boiled Sam at the final showdown - "Reynolds, you worthless piece of....dung!!! Obviously cleaned up for the Hallmark audience, the remark only drew more attention to itself as wholly unrealistic given the circumstances. It's soon overshadowed though when Reynolds sends Johnny out with a single bullet to kill his father. In probably the only moment they ever faced each other man to man, Johnny implores - "Make sure Abe don't turn out like you and me" - just before he's sent to Boot Hill by Reynolds.Except for the gorgeous scenery and superb cinematography, "Desolation Canyon" winds up merely adequate as a made for TV Western, while the relentless pace of the commercials in the final third of the story didn't help. Even the title hearkens back to the days of the 'B' Western, when the name of the film had little or nothing to do with the story. There never was mention made of a canyon, desolate or otherwise, and the final showdown occurred at Antelope Springs.

After seeing Robert Duvall in "Broken Trail," I guess nothing much can compare to that. "Desolation Canyon" was awful. First of all, where did they get the name? One hour Republic Studios films used to have titles like that that bore no relation whatsoever to the movie. This was a one hour Roy Rogers movie that was dragged out to two unbelievable hours, but didn't even have the comic relief of Gabby Hayes. Everybody in the movie was Canadian except for the leads. I'm fed up with that. The only highlight for me was Patrick Duffy. No, not his acting. I saw an amazing resemblance to Hopalong Cassidy. I'm going to write a screenplay for a bio-pic of William Boyd and try to sell it to Duffy. Who can we cast in Andy Clyde's old part?

Desolation Canyon is quite possibly the worst "made for TV movie" I've seen in the past 10 years. The writing was very amateurish and predictable. Patrick Duffy is totally unbelievable as a "cowboy" and Stacey Keach delivered so many ridiculous lines that I constantly had to remind myself that it wasn't his fault that the movie was so bad. I actually snickered a few times at the ridiculous writing and by the end of the movie I was hoping someone would say "Let's head them off at the pass!!" I have long maintained that the most important aspect of any movie is NOT the acting but rather the writing. I also maintain that more recognition should be given scriptwriters than actors at the Academy Awards. Well, the writers of Desolation Canyon should probably have their writing credentials suspended until they can show some originality. Hallmark can do much better than this and usually does; shame on you Hallmark for foisting Desolation Canyon on your viewers.b shiznit questions my appreciation for a good movie but I stand by the above review and invite him/her to watch "Broken Trail" with Robert Duvall. AMC aired Broken Trail over two nights and it was simply outstanding. Minimal if any special effects were used and Robert Duvall is most likely going to be nominated for a "Best Actor" award. Broken Trail makes "Desolation Canyon" look like an inferior high school play!! Mr/Mrs Shiznit is obviously easy to please.

This movie is sad, I didn't expect the ending, but it was a good ending. Wish there weren't commercials, when it came to the good parts.I would recommend this movie to my friends. Patrick Duffy goes a great job. And Victor Browne is one of the hottest bad boys I've seen on t.v lately. There are lots of twists and shocking parts in this hallmark movie. I wish that the outlaw father wouldn't have died , but he risked his life to save his father's and his son's. The best part was probably when the outlaw father told his father he loved him and his father said it back. It was such a tender warming moment. It was also sweet when the boy was reunited with his sister and mother.