SERAPHIM FALLS is a Western that gets so many things right, it's a shame the one it doesn't: character destiny, ends up cracking apart the integrity of the whole.
SERAPHIM FALLS is an outstanding Western action drama, completely riveting throughout. It contains an outstanding performance from Brosnan and gorgeous location cinematography in New Mexico. It presents an intensely gripping opening 30 minutes unlike any in recent memory hinging on Brosnan's compelling performance and supported by the breath-taking landscapes. It is visceral, gutsy and extremely real. It grabs you and won't let go...until the end that is. Then it just plain loses it.
Without forecast, the film veering off-course in the third act into unsubstantiated surrealism territory. A departure that is inorganic and comes at the expense of its characters' journey. This is its only downfall. Unfortunately it's a big one. This bit of fantasy in the desert, though clearly well intentioned, with Anjelica Houston as a welcome stand in for the devil and an Indian Shaman dispensing proverbial wisdom, is sadly a step in the wrong direction given the stellar work laid down up to this point.
The effect is thereby to wipe out the intense and gutsy work hitherto on display, even literally as Brosnan's Captian Gideon disembowels a horse in a stroke of brilliance to conceal himself. In spite of this gut level reality, the film unexpectedly descends into a didactic anti-war message in favour of fulfilling its character's destiny.
Neeson's Colonel Carver chooses bloodthirsty revenge at the cost of everything else and deserves a good death by the end. This would be a positive result, fulfilling his unconscious desire to reunite with his family who were slaughtered by arson. Through his single-minded determination for revenge he has carelessly led his entire posse including an adolescent youth to their own demise and at the end even shoots the last remaining one once he becomes hostage bait. The body count on his back is not so easily explained away.
There is one member of his posse who walks out in the middle of the film with what should be prophetic words for Neeson's Carver, "You all go on and get yourselves killed." Shortly after which Carver kills his horse to disable the man's departure. These words should have been prophetic for Carver, whose destiny, created by his blood lust for revenge, should be to die at the hands of Brosnan's incredibly efficient killer, Gideon. For this reason, amongst many others, the "throw down your weapons and go your separate ways" sentiment at the end hits a false note.
Carver has had nothing to live for since his family was slaughtered due to a tactical error made by Gideon in the aftermath of civil war. In contrast to Carver, Gideon has only killed in self-defence and only after issuing strong warnings, which no one ever heeds, including Carver. The structure is in place then to allow Carver the arrogant demise he seeks. Yet the film does not employ it and instead takes a fantastical turn that sells itself short. And here Seraphim takes a great fall and all the King's horse can't put him back together again.
SERAPHIM FALLS is an outstanding Western action drama, completely riveting throughout. It contains an outstanding performance from Brosnan and gorgeous location cinematography in New Mexico. It presents an intensely gripping opening 30 minutes unlike any in recent memory hinging on Brosnan's compelling performance and supported by the breath-taking landscapes. It is visceral, gutsy and extremely real. It grabs you and won't let go...until the end that is. Then it just plain loses it.
Without forecast, the film veering off-course in the third act into unsubstantiated surrealism territory. A departure that is inorganic and comes at the expense of its characters' journey. This is its only downfall. Unfortunately it's a big one. This bit of fantasy in the desert, though clearly well intentioned, with Anjelica Houston as a welcome stand in for the devil and an Indian Shaman dispensing proverbial wisdom, is sadly a step in the wrong direction given the stellar work laid down up to this point.
The effect is thereby to wipe out the intense and gutsy work hitherto on display, even literally as Brosnan's Captian Gideon disembowels a horse in a stroke of brilliance to conceal himself. In spite of this gut level reality, the film unexpectedly descends into a didactic anti-war message in favour of fulfilling its character's destiny.
Neeson's Colonel Carver chooses bloodthirsty revenge at the cost of everything else and deserves a good death by the end. This would be a positive result, fulfilling his unconscious desire to reunite with his family who were slaughtered by arson. Through his single-minded determination for revenge he has carelessly led his entire posse including an adolescent youth to their own demise and at the end even shoots the last remaining one once he becomes hostage bait. The body count on his back is not so easily explained away.
There is one member of his posse who walks out in the middle of the film with what should be prophetic words for Neeson's Carver, "You all go on and get yourselves killed." Shortly after which Carver kills his horse to disable the man's departure. These words should have been prophetic for Carver, whose destiny, created by his blood lust for revenge, should be to die at the hands of Brosnan's incredibly efficient killer, Gideon. For this reason, amongst many others, the "throw down your weapons and go your separate ways" sentiment at the end hits a false note.
Carver has had nothing to live for since his family was slaughtered due to a tactical error made by Gideon in the aftermath of civil war. In contrast to Carver, Gideon has only killed in self-defence and only after issuing strong warnings, which no one ever heeds, including Carver. The structure is in place then to allow Carver the arrogant demise he seeks. Yet the film does not employ it and instead takes a fantastical turn that sells itself short. And here Seraphim takes a great fall and all the King's horse can't put him back together again.