Appaloosa (Blu-ray)

Ed Harris and Viggo are peacekeepers for hire who are the best of friends too. In fact their friendship reminded me a little bit of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid with it's enjoyable humour. Jeremy Irons plays a ruthless business man who will kill anyone that gets in his way and has around 20 goons working for him. Renee Zellweger is the love interest of the film and looks stunning in her fancy dresses. Love is a very dangerous thing to have in the wild west especially when you are a law enforcer. Appaloosa is a character driven film with some great gun fights to keep you entertained. Ed Harris as proven to be a good director with a good eye to detail as well as being the good actor that he has always been too. Overall Appaloosa is a very good western but, for me Seraphim Falls is the best western of recent years because it is so majestic and different.

'cole' and 'hitch' ( ed harris and viggo mortensen ) are gunmen that apply their trade with total confidence, they specialize in sorting out towns problems, they also make their own rules of engagement.
when they arrive in 'appaloosa' they find the town has it's problems, the officials are so worried and scared by this they are willing to agree and sign the demands and rules the two gunmen lay down in return for their services.
of coarse to have a problem there has to be a villian in this case it's 'randall bragg' ( jeremy irons ) who has several gun-handy employee's in tow.
as tradition demands there has to be a damsel to complicate the plot, this is provided by 'renee zellweger' ( have seen her in better roles )
well the film does have some decent gun-fights along with a pretty good cast list, must be at least worth a watch if your a 'wesrern' fan.

Very enjoyable western. Great chemistry and good humoured banter between ed and viggo as the lawmen for hire. Jeremy irons is the malign influence over the town of appaloosa and makes an intelligent and classy villain whose above the law.
This film is beautifully shot and looks stunning in blu ray. The scenic shots are jaw dropping. Admittedly i only have around 7 blu ray films, this is the first that hugely impressed.
This is up there with recent films such as open range, seraphim falls and 3:10 to yuma. Not quite unforgiven or the searchers. If you love your horse operas a definite bluray purchase.

I think Westerns are an aquired taste, but I loved 3:10 To Yuma and Seraphim Falls. So looking at the cast of this film, I expected another good film. Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen are both quality actors. This just rumbles along so slowly and there are so few memorable moments. Rene Zellwegger just looks so odd these days and is barely recognisable from her Jerry Maguire days. I quite liked her quirky character in Cold Mountain, but in this she looks revolting and is plain annoying. Jeremy Irons wasn't great as the baddy either. I bought this on Blu Ray and then sold it as quickly as I could. Proceed with caution would be my best advice. Watch Ed Harris in Gone Baby Gone instead or Viggo Mortensen in History Of Violence or Eastern Promises.

Really enjoyed the film, admittedly Jeremy Irons hams it up a little but overall a very good solid Western.