Good for Nothing

Isabella and Miss Parsons (am I remembering that right? There's no name even similar to that in the cast list) are two proper English ladies traveling through the American West on a train with a great-looking and great-sounding steam engine.

When the villain ties Isabella up, he goes into town and what happens next is very funny. And then Isabella gets loose, and with her clothes in tatters, people in town think she is a hooker. She goes to jail and the prisoner in the cell is hilarious. I only wish we had seen more of him.

The villain visits a Chinese mining camp. With hilarious results. Meanwhile, Isabella and the man visit an Indian medicine man--again, with funny results. The posse isn't having much luck because the tracker is incompetent.

The ending is satisfying but quite unexpected. It is, in fact, the very definition of ironic. But there is a complete story.

I wasn't expecting this to be so funny, but the TiVo listings did show it as a comedy first. Actually, this isn't that funny a lot of the time, and it is somewhat violent (though not unusually so for a Western) and unsettling. To enjoy it, you have to be willing to tolerate a sick sense of humor. Also, the sound went out a lot and characters' mouths were covered in many cases when this happened.

Cohen Holloway as the unnamed villain does quite a good job. He isn't merely the monster he appears to be at the start, but someone who has feelings. Just because he shoots everyone in sight doesn't mean he can't be redeemed.

Isabella is quite pretty and, despite her shock at how different the American West is after apparently having a privileged life, she is tough and determined. And even caring, despite how mean her kidnapper has been.

Other good performances come from actors playing Indians and Chinese.

And let's not forget how pretty the American West can be. Even if it's actually New Zealand. And the music is great--Latin guitar, regular guitar (not smooth jazz exactly, but close), and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

It's an unusual Western to be sure, and worth seeing.

What a great little movie, though I say "little" only because it's obviously an independent that seems to have missed much attention. I highly recommend it. The story is handled very, very well and the two lead actors bowled me over, especially since one appears to spend more time behind the camera than in front of it. That should really change!

Others have described the plot and the nice use of humor, although it never becomes camp. By the end, I was surprised to be reminded of The Earthling. Earthling has a very different style and topic, but they share the same kind of depth and impact by the end.

Of more recent films, I was also reminded of Meeker's Cutoff. Both were set, more or less, in the old west and provided an authentic feel that just felt right.

Whoever gave this the low ratings to make the overall rating on here such a low rating have done this movie a dis service. This is not a 4.9-5 movie it is IMO at least a 6.

I have long been a big fan of Westerns, with Clint Eastwood and Henry Fonda's movies being up there as the best of them all.

This one is not up to their standard but it does a good job of entertaining.

I hadn't seen or heard of Cohen Holloway or Inge Rademeyer who were the main actors and they did a very good job in their respective roles, hopefully they will get further work, well worth watching out for.

I loved the gunfight in the river, that and the general antics of the posse had me in stitches quite a few times.

The music and cinematography of the film is first rate, up there with the best, I had trouble believing that the movie was shot in New Zealand.

I gave it a 7 out of 10.

Saw this movie and thought it was fantastic. Just not your ordinary western but a realistic look at some of the trappings of living in the "old west". If you are into movies...particularly westerns you will love this movie. The scene with the Indian store keeper shooting arrows at our hero is all too real. The scenery and the locale is part of this wonderful movie. The heroine was low key and for her first movie she did a good job. I had to look up everyone involved with the making of this movies so to see the hands behind a work of art. I highly recommend it. Make sure you see it with some one who enjoys these new realistic look at the west. Not some Hollywood set but out in the open wilderness.

Really enjoyed this movie. An excellent plot and all performances were top notch as well as the authenticity. It has all the elements of a superb spaghetti western. The character development is richly textured through visual means. Dialogue is short but this only enhances the character development. The music is well suited to the plot - and there is no canned banal use of it. The plot provides a touch of comedy and irony based on the real circumstances of that time era. It is similar to one of the fine westerns Robert Duvall has starred in recently and is quietly gripping from beginning to end..If you are a western buff, you will definitely enjoy this film.