Rust

There are 3 groups of people downvoting this movie:

• Political groups that despise Alec Baldwin
• People that think he should have abandoned it because of the death that occured while filing. Or thought Alec was responsible
• Some that maybe weren't expecting an old fashioned western

If you filter out those views, its a solid if imperfect yarn of a western.

We really enjoyed it for what it is - a small(ish) budget old school western that resembles movies from a different era.

The movie is not short on action, but spends a fair amount of time on scenery and character development.

I guess these days that's "too slow" for some.

This is a solid western, the story keeps you engaged and invested in the characters and where the story is going to lead them. The acting, costumes, sets, everything was superb. Where this falls short is the story, it keeps you entertained to the end but just falls short of being a classic you'd want to rewatch and discuss. I feel its lacking a twist or a callback to tie the story together, as is, its more a progression of events. Something like if the kids fancy rifle ended up moving through a few hands, perhaps when the bounty hunters fight each other the survivor claims it only to die in the next fight enforcing its 'curse', and then was used in a key moment at the end to save or kill the kid and he gets it back, or some other twist. It doesnt need to be big, just a little spice in an otherwise impressive film.

Of course I had heard about this movie prior to watching it. I mean, it was after all the movie that caused quite a ruckus for Alec Baldwin given the situation with a firearm loaded with live rounds.

I have to say that the storyline and narrative was not the most interesting, and it struggled with slow pacing, which made it somewhat of a dull viewing experience to sit through two hours and nineteen minutes of watching it. There was a whole lot of talking throughout the course of the movie and not particularly much in the action department.

The movie does have a good cast ensemble, with the likes of Alec Baldwin, Jake Busey, Frances Fisher, Josh Hopkins, Xander Berkeley, Abraham Benrubi and Travis Fimmel. So you are in rather capable company throughout the course of the movie. The acting performances in the movie were good, which I figure was needless to point out.

"Rust" does look and feel like a proper Western, so thumbs up to the set designers, wardrobe, props, etc. That made it a bit more bearable to sit through the narrative.

This is a movie for diehard fans of the Western genre. I sat down to watch it as a casual viewer and I was struggling to keep having an interest in the sluggish narrative. I will not be returning to watch "Rust" a second time, as I was struggling enough to get through it the first time.

My rating of writer and director Joel Souza's 2024 movie "Rust" lands on a four out of ten stars.

I'm going to judge this movie based on its storytelling, acting, directing, and cinematography - not on what I think of Alec Baldwin as a person or the tragic incident onset.

Story: I think it was fine. It might not be the most compelling of story, but it was good enough for me - meaning it was engaging for the most part. There were some things that didn't make sense to me, but it's not a major gripe.

Acting: I liked everyone is this film. Even the kid(s) were ok. Shout out to Travis Fimmel - I'm glad he's getting better roles since the Viking series - Richard Gunn, and Francis Fisher. I felt that their portrayals were outstanding.

Directing: Also good, IMO. There weren't any fillers or wasted shots, I thought. The actions were quite good, as well - I knew where everyone was at all times and what was happening. As were the dialogues and the quieter moments.

Cinematography: Montana is simply beautiful. I wished there had been more wide vista shots, but it's a quibble. Generally, what we had were good and established well the period and locations.

Overall: 7.5.

If you watched the Hulu documentary "Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna", you would go to see the work of this great cinematographer because it was her families wishes for everyone to see her work.

As for the movie, a lot of the shots were absolutely stunning and truly conveyed the atmosphere and spirit of the film.

While some parts of the movie could have been more refined and were a little drawn out, the overall story line was good and fitting of a classic western. The actors were the right fit. Alec Baldwin and Patrick McDermott did a good job!

Sometimes simple is better. In all, I think it was worth the watch.