Now based on factual information, experience and calculation of the odds, I have to go by the assumption that everyone who raved about this movie in the media, to me personally, as well as online, saw the same movie I just did. I’ll just have to shelve my confusion and give you my minority report.

This movie sucks.

First of all, I haven’t heard a single bit of dialogue I believed. Duvall – in the second-to-best role of the film (see my PS) – has the horrible task of delivering disjointed sound bites of open range wisdom. Costner, as wooden as ever, drawls out his own, usually unconnected, one-liners. Every supposedly meaningful dialogue seems designed to shout out the painfully obvious points of the movie, which were already old and tired after the first decennium of westerns. I can only conclude that the script is terrible.

Added to the bad dialogue is the uncertain camera standpoints and moves and the rickety editing, giving me the impression that Costner was in permanent disagreement with cinematographer James Muro while shooting the film. Pointless cuts of bits of sky, weird low camera work, sudden clumsy moves… it all adds up to a tiring and amateuristic watch.

So technique-wise, this movie hasn’t much to recommend it. Perhaps the story makes it worthwhile? But no. A chewed-out theme of revenge of the underdog, a love subplot that adds a useless extra 15 minutes onto the end of the film, some incomprehensible bits and scenes that just don’t make sense. What do you mean, they walk in and out of town as they please while all the bad guys are gunning for them? And what’s with the house frame almost getting destroyed before Charley rescues the town dog? Speaking of which, how deeply lame is it that the rescue of the town mutt is the sole factor endearing Duvall and Costner to the townspeople?

Zooming in on a set of china at the end of the film, by comparison, is almost acceptable. Bad Kevin! Bad, naughty Kevin!

But then again, everyone else seems to love the film, so I’ll just shut up now and have myself a back-to-back viewing of Once Upon a Time in the West and Unforgiven. Sorry to have bothered y’all.

PS: Big kudos to Michael Jeter for his excellent role – but to see him act, The Green Mile or Welcome to Collinwood are better choices…