Open Range

I have been a long time fan of Kevin Costner, and have mostly supported
his work since before Dances With Wolves. I don’t omit Waterworld from
his list of fine films as an aboration, I call it overly dramtized by
the press. And although Open Range is by far the most beautifully
filmed movie I’ve seen in years, it lacks character depth and strong
direction that would have other wise landed it strongly in the running
for picture of the year.

James Muro, with a long
list of Steady Cam and Operator Credits to his name allows his artistic
vision to come to life in this film, and in doing so, lifts this movie
to be one of the first Oscar tempting films I’ve yet to see this drab
year. The film follows a set of four Cow hearders as they move their
heard across the Open Range of the west. They find themselves in
unwelcomed territory when they stop for the night because of heavy
rain. It is immediately apparent that the characters veil themselves in
the mistakes of their past. In doing so, they veil themselves from
connecting with the audience.

Charley Waite (played by Kevin Costner)
seems to have a stronger emotional bound with his dog, than any of his
slain brethren. Because Open Range lacks definition, it seems to wander
from being a barge of a love story to an action film with a pace
matching that of a sick elepahnt. Neither of the two plots are carried
out well. Every part of the film was as predictable as it was slow.
Even after I thought the movie was over, it still lingered on for an
additional 15 minutes while Kevin Costner’s character tried to wrap up
his love for Sue Barlow (played by Annette Bening.

If you plan on seeing this film, don’t wait for the DVD. See it in the
largest theater you can find. It won’t be playing there long, so hurry.
Don’t expect to see the Unforgiven, but you will at least be
transported to another world, if you can just tune out the acters
blabbering away in front of the scenery.