John Wick meets The Unforgiven directed by Sergio Leone. I have to say I quite enjoyed this film - it was just the thing after a particularly tiring day. Entertaining enough if you switch off at least some of your critical faculties.

Vastly overwritten - one of the hazards of a writer/director - and, in this case - editor, too. Oh dear... With three individuals with three different perspective, it could have been rather better.The score by Jeff Grace, although excellent in places, doesn't know if it wants to be a western or a spaghetti western (overtly Morricone) and gives conflicting messages. The movie is not quite a spaghetti western although, with a few tweaks, it could have been. Some of the scenes with SW music cues play against the on-screen action and invite a sardonic comedy perspective which isn't really justified.Some scenes are comedic although more in the style of slapstick than dark SW humour and, really, not needed.As the movie progresses, the music becomes increasingly SW and the theme of revenge - one of my absolute favourites! - comes well to the fore.But who ever heard of a 'man with no name' called Paul? Oh dear... And the town only seems to have eight inhabitants.Ethan Hawke is excellent but not quite Clint. John Travolta has lost some weight and must be desperate for parts although perhaps the script looked better than the end result.Star of the show, apart from the dog, is Taissa Farmiga who has a wonderful part and plays it well.In all, this is a nice, easy-to-watch action western. Switch off all critical facilities (and tell me how to do that!) and you'll enjoy it, but it falls needlessly short of being really great.

Watched it last night, and the first thing that struck me was how cheaply made it was. It reminded me of Arnolds "Aftermath". A rented lot, a shoestring budget, a bare bones story, a trite script, all amounting to an insult to the viewing public. Its OK for stars to make a movie to make money, but at least make a good movie, the gratuity was palpable. The trend was first noticed on films with Bruce Willis, who I now call the cameo kid, for some reason he doesn't care anymore, and just takes the cheque. There was an upside, and a surprising one, Taissa Farmiga, who acted everyone off the screen. The lady has instinct, the ability and enthusiasm to inject originality, on the hoof. The trend is disturbing, go back to quality, it delights and in the process makes money.

This film is ostensibly a "western." But it is more than that.For starters, it isn't a modern version of a western, but instead is more akin to the old spaghetti westerns. The music, the sets, the graphics, etc., are both an homage to spaghetti westerns and a humorous take-off on them.The plot is one you have seen in many westerns. A drifter comes into a small town that is controlled by a psychopath, conflict ensues, and there is a gun battle where the drifter "saves" the town.On one level that is all this is. On another, it is a wry, and dry, take-off on this old, familiar tale because in this film the drifter doesn't go after the town bullies to liberate the town but because they killed his dog.That's right. This is a film where the battle-hardened, killer hero is mush when his dog is killed. He cries.So, right there, you don't have a traditional western or a traditional spaghetti western. In NO OTHER western I have ever seen (hundreds, as I am a die-hard fan) has the hero ever cried. Even Nathan Brittles wasn't crying in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon when he went to his wife's grave.This guy cries and then exacts his revenge.Now, Ethan Hawk is great in this. Just a week earlier we had seen the (dreadful) remake of The Magnificent Seven, which he is also in. However, this film, In a Valley of Violence, is far superior. In Mag 7 II, the town "bully" has hundreds of hired gunmen, all of whom meet their deaths in about 20 minutes. It is so absurd as to be ridiculous.In Valley, there are 4, maybe 5, and none of them are even close to competent, or even scary. There is a bully, his dad, and three guys who just needed a job because they couldn't do anything else.And the gun battle is hilarious. You realize, while watching this film, that you have been had. It starts off to be a standard western, and slowly evolves into rib splitting humor as you watch the gun "battle" unfold. The dialogue is clever. And the humor doesn't beat you over the head. In fact, it is understated, which makes it even better.We enjoyed this film. We will watch it again. Just give it a chance. It will be especially rewarding for people who have a history with old-fashioned westerns, as it is a wry, dry take-off on them that pounds you with subtlety and intelligent humor.Enjoy, pilgrim!