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APPALOOSA

Blu-Ray review by John Larkin

APPALOOSA can be purchased at MovieZyng.com by clicking the image above


I'll never forget my experience of seeing APPALOOSA for the first time a month or so before its release, back in 2007 at a National Board of Review screening. The crispness of the sound and top notch projection quality at The Warner Brothers Screening Room, enhanced the film’s immersive qualities significantly.


APPALOOSA, directed by and starring Ed Harris, is a beautifully restrained and character-driven Western that stands out for its deliberate pacing, strong performances, and an emphasis on the nuanced relationships between its leads. Harris and Viggo Mortensen bring an understated but palpable chemistry as longtime lawmen-for-hire, Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. Their bond is one of quiet understanding and mutual respect, a rarity in a genre often dominated by more overtly dramatic relationships. Harris plays Cole with a gruff but methodical presence, while Mortensen’s Hitch exudes quiet intelligence and loyalty, always observing and considering his friend’s actions with a sense of measured wisdom.


Renée Zellweger's performance as Allison French adds a complex layer to the dynamic. She enters the picture as a seemingly refined woman seeking stability but soon reveals herself to be an opportunist whose loyalties shift based on circumstance. While some might find her character frustrating, she is essential in exploring the vulnerabilities of Virgil Cole, whose attempts at maintaining control—both over his emotions and the town—begin to unravel in her presence.


Jeremy Irons delivers a memorable performance as Randall Bragg, the film’s central antagonist. Irons imbues Bragg with a refined but menacing presence, making him a formidable villain who is as much a manipulator as he is a threat.


APPALOOSA’s pacing is deliberate, eschewing the breakneck action of many modern Westerns in favor of a slow build that allows the relationships and themes to breathe. The film takes its time establishing the rhythms of the town and the moral codes that govern its characters, making the moments of violence—when they do arrive—all the more impactful. Instead of stylized shootouts, the action is abrupt and realistic, reinforcing the film’s grounded approach to the genre.


APPALOOSA is a film that rewards patience. It’s less about action and more about the weight of duty, friendship, and personal codes of honor. For those who appreciate Westerns that lean into character study rather than spectacle, it stands as one of the more thoughtful entries in the genre.


The film closes out and runs white on black credits backed by an old school western ballad sung by a voice that sounds identical to Ed Harris...


For all the film itself has to offer, the most memorable moment from the screening came at the end when Ed Harris arrived for a post film Q&A and candidly shared the difficulties he had raising the financing and getting the film to the finish line. Viggo Mortensen tried desperately to get out of his commitment to the film because he had so much on his plate at the time and the shoot kept getting delayed. Harris interviewed and auditioned nearly twenty actors and wasn't happy with any of them. Mortensen remained onboard and Harris praised him as a joy to work with and the only actor alive that could have played the role. In addition, this was the film that Mortensen met his still current girlfriend, actress Ariadna Gil.


As the Q&A finished I walked up to Harris and shook his hand. "Was that you singing over the end credits?" I asked. "Yea that's me, and that's my song." Harris replied, beaming ear to ear.


And I'll leave you with that...





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