Cowboys & Indians (2011) User Reviews

This had the Feel of a High School Stage Production Brought to Film

[hefz · 1/10 · 25 August 2013]

Lighting is bad. In the same scene, some skin tones were washed out while others were almost totally unlit. The sound is bad (speech is similar to 'projecting' high school stage actors before rehearsals are complete)

The amount of stereotyping is shocking; Native American war chants and 'whooping' are only one example. Actors seemed totally unconvincing.

At the date of this review, there were 13 ratings of 10/10 and some reviews were written in decent English but were totally accepting of the nearly unprecedented-for-even-modern-TV flaws (November update, the trend continues: out of 139 ratings there are now 18 ratings of 10/10. Making this more suspicious, there is only 1 rating of 9/10 and another 2 ratings of 8/10. On the 10 point scale, the median rating is a more representative and honest 2/10).

My guess is that the cast, and the directors etc, solicited friends and other friendly people to watch and vote on, and in some cases review, this mess (The November update data above suggest that that guess is still on target).

How?

[heath-allard · 1/10 · 4 October 2019]

With the hundreds and thousands of writers, directors and producers all looking for their break in cinema - THIS gets made?

How?

Why?

Someone, somewhere has too much money, too big an ego and absolutely no idea!

Sad day in the ol' West

[frellebay · 1/10 · 25 August 2013]

I just got done watching this movie. I rated it as a "1" only because the scale didn't go any lower. This is, by far, the absolute worst film I've ever had soil my poor eyeballs. I have to echo the sentiments expressed by some of the other reviewers about the poor acting, shoddy camera work, and generally bad editing.

When writing a review there's a "spoiler alert" button you need to click if your review contains any. There's no worry about that with this film. The only thing that's going to be spoiled is the 86 minutes you will lose out of your life watching it. It's sad because I've seen a lot of bad movies. Most have some redeeming value that present the possibility of them becoming a cult classic in the future. There's no such hope here.

The best (and funniest) thing about the movie was reading the end credits. The two brothers sure wore a lot of hats.

oh. my. God.

[sandylbc · 1/10 · 12 March 2016]

I accidentally stumbled across this unbelievably bad movie on a Saturday, and at first I thought it was some bad satire. It wasn't even good enough to be bad satire. Please don't waste your time. These people should be held accountable for putting out such trash to waste people's time.

The production was juvenile, the props were toys, the "acting" was laughable, and the portrayal of the natives was racist at best. How did this get made and released?

You could watch it as a comedy, but it isn't even good enough to make fun of.

Bad acting, awful action. The only reason I finished was so I could keep making fun of it. Not good. I say C-

[cosmo_tiger · 4/10 · 22 April 2012]

"Leading my men up there would be sheer suicide." A type of "peace" has existed between the white man and the Indians mainly because they have avoided each other. After a little skirmish breaks out a woman named Patricia (Maloney) has been taken by the Indians. When no one is up to the task of rescuing her it is up to a former officer Captain Bugle (Cowan) to go in and get her back. There are some movies that are better then you expect them to be based on your expectations. The same goes for some that you hope to be good but when they aren't as good you say it's disappointing. Then there are movies like this one. The kind that is exactly what you expect. I expected absolute low-budget lameness and that's what I got. The acting and the action (seems like they are using walmart bows) are laughable but I will admit that I kept watching just to see what they will come up with. I again am left wondering though why the western genre has fallen off lately. I wish they would make more then one good one a year. Overall, a laughable western that kept me watching just to see what awful thing they will come up with next. I give it a C-.

Racist, bad effects/sound, bad acting all over a bad movie. Not the worth time.

[user-834-589860 · 1/10 · 2 November 2013]

"I must taste her blood."- Native American Women, They're not vampires?! I found this movie incredible racist. The movie portrayed the Native Americans as savage monsters who wen't around killing and scalping settlers. Depending on the tribe Native Americans mainly tried to avoid the white settlers who would come on their land to hunt, mine for gold and end up offending the natives. The only reason Natives fought the settlers were to over come the new US government who cheated them out of promised food, land and treatment. To speak of the settlers being innocent and in fact friendly to the natives was an all over lie. They should have done their research before making a movie like this, damn shame. Along with that but the effects were horrible, the lighting was terrible the acting was horrendous, and

the sound wasn't done correctly. It really should just go back on the shelf named "Home-Made Movie"!

not worth the time to watch

[mary-mee · 1/10 · 6 June 2012]

This is the worst, I have seen better by a high school student. Too bad, good actors must start somewhere I guess. Who would write such crappy lines, using toys arrows, wow that was cheap. The trailer is deceiving, or misleading, it made you think it can be a decent movie. I think this movie should be shown to all future film students as an example of what not to do. This should be a fist year student, film critique project, make a list of what was good about the movie and the list would be extremely short. The woman Indian was so bad , I don't even want to give her attention even for being bad. That's how bad she is. I hope most of these people have a regular paying job, because this should not be a career for them . I would not make my worst enemy watch this.

A Great Example of Bad Cinema

[nequus1 · 2/10 · 18 August 2013]

Would give it one star but the sheer horrendous nature of the film gives one at least a little bit of fun mocking it.

Where to start.

The acting and script are beyond bad. It seems like they were almost trying to be more campy than the old racists Westerns from the 50's and failed. I an shocked they were able to find that many really horrible Amerind actors. I've seen third grade plays with more depth to the characters.

Set and costuming: Okay I get that they have no budget but honestly the anachronisms were over the top. Surely there must have been someone around at the time that could have dug up some props that weren't entirely composed of shiny new plastic. None of the weapons, be they native or European, were period and the costumes seem to be entirely composed of items the director had found in the back of his closet. I imagine the beads were probably left over from the previous years Mardi Gras celebration.

Would not watch again. Wish I hadn't watched in the first place.

Nice weekend production

[jcook56050 · 4/10 · 24 August 2013]

First, let me say that I've directed low budget Old West street plays for fairs and events and that I've done a few films in my time. That being said, I would not have been very comfortable with the outcome of this project.

We knew this was going to be what appeared to be a weekend production by a relatively new director, actors and crew when we saw the modern grip sole pattern clearly visible on the boots of one of the actors in the first fight scene. Not much time was taken to age or research the clothing, most of which appeared as if it had been purchased the previous day from an outfitter I know in Tucson. The horse saddles and rigs were so new looking you could practically identify the brand of coating on the leather. And, all through the production, we spotted items that were anomalous to the late 1800's. However, the weapons and Colt pistols appeared to be used and reasonable looking if only the actors had known how to fake a recoil when shooting blanks.

Generally speaking, there are moments and scenes in this film that work as a story of people of the Old West who did not really take themselves too seriously. However, there were so many mistakes in the production and the story line that you had to marvel at the ingenuity needed to pull off the project on what was obviously a low budget, student level film. I've seen local student films at Watsons School of Film here in Nashville that either compare favorably with, or thoroughly outclass this production. Many of the actors gave us the impression of being weekend reenactors who had been given a film opportunity.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed watching simply so that I could learn more about what does and doesn't work on these type productions. Most of the actors had enough chops that, given time and direction, they could have pulled off some very convincing characterizations. For that effort, most of them deserve to be commended for committing themselves to the part for some level of realism.

All in all, had I been the producer, I think it might have been much easier to simplify the story line, dispense with scenes that needed a town or backdrops that were obviously modern, and invest in some better establishing shots and quality lighting and reflection equipment. With those kinds of changes, this production could have been shot to play just like a high budget project by a major studio.

5...6...7....8....9....9 1/2...

[nogodnomasters · 3/10 · 5 December 2018]

The film opens with Bugle (Alvin Cowan) working as a boxing hustler. There is also a subplot about gold on Black Claw land. Prospectors are killed. The deed holder has an idea that if they get a girl kidnapped (Katy Maloney) the cavalry will wipe out the Indians and they will be free to dig.

The film had some minor humor in it. There were anachronisms in the speech, especially the Indian woman (Kristen Alaniz) whose speech greatly contrasted the cliche Indian talk used by the rest of her tribe. The acting and script were Asylum grade bad. The beautiful scenery that normally accompanies westerns was not present as it appears most of the filming was done on a set. The Indian bows had all the spring and appearance of a dime store bow and arrow set.

Unless you want camp and cheese, avoid the film.

No f-bombs, sex, or nudity.

Great shoot 'em up Western. I loved it!

[donnywarver · 10/10 · 8 May 2012]

Awesome Western! Just like the kind I used to watch as a kid!

Great action and a great storyline. I loved all of the fist fights, gun fights, and the tomahawk fight was the best! It was a lot more than I was hoping for. The box said, the Great Western Returns, and they weren't kidding. Why can't more Hollywood movies be like this?

There was some really good acting and some great characters thrown in there. You just loved to hate the town villain! Great chemistry between Bugle and his sidekick. Every great Western hero has to have a hilarious side kick.

I watched it with my whole family and not one curse word! Wow. You don't see that anymore these days.

Imagine That !, A Real(Not just Reel) Western in 2012 !!

[guestar57 · 6/10 · 29 February 2012]

A BURK BROS Film.

This western is so true to the traditions of the Wild West,The real west not the REEL west .

There is a desert,Real deserted not a effect and real horses and a real ghost town setting,See it can be done even with the little budget allowed for this film.

The star is nicknamed 'Bugle' and he can get in a duel or two or three…The fights are really the best scenes,A Gun duel with 3 mean cowboys and a sword duel with a Mexican captain and a tomahawk duel with a real Indian.

That's another great point their are authentic( got tired of overuse of real) indians Playing the indians,Imagine that in a Hollyweird Western,Won't happen ever .

Great effort,Hope it gets picked up for distribution somewhere,Deserves to be seen as a reference for bigger budget films.

Oh,And in the grand tradition..'Bugle' is played by a former pro footballer like John Wayne and Alan Autry were former footballers…Something in the game reminds us of The Real Wild West !

Not sure what to think, but it was funny and entertaining

[vchimpanzee · 16 August 2013]

Captain Bugle entertains people in the old West by boxing. He and his partner Cartwright are con men, and Bugle pretends not to be very good, until the end when it counts.

In a typical Western town, Prescott Seavers and his partner are another pair of con men. They play poker and always seem to end up short when there's a lot of money to be won. So they always conveniently have a valuable mining claim to bet, which the other person wins. The claims are pretty much worthless, since not only do they have a whole stack of them hidden, but the Black Claw live on the land where the claims are and respond violently to anyone who trespasses.

One of those winners is willing to try mining, but he needs a guide. The guide he picks turns out to be a crook, but our hero Bugle shows up just in time, and he takes over.

The Black Claw, including Red Bear (later renamed Bad Face after an incident that makes the other Indians laugh), kidnap Patricia and leave our heroes for dead. Or are they really dead? Can Patricia be rescued without a bloody war that will result in massive destruction and loss of life? The white men have plenty of soldiers and determination, and they don't care how many might die. But there may be a solution ...

I think this was supposed to be a comedy, or even a parody, of Westerns. It's not politically correct, though the Indians do seem to justify their violent behavior. It is, after all, their land, and the Great Spirit is offended by the behavior of the white man.

In order to take this movie seriously, you have to laugh at it. If anyone intended this to be serious, they failed miserably. Even the background music makes it clear we are supposed to laugh.

Alvin Cowan as Bugle shows all the emotion of, say, Jean Claude van Damme. He's also just as heroic. And he does occasionally show some actual talent beyond fighting ability. Amazing fighting ability.

Katy Maloney shows a lot of courage. Patricia is willing to do whatever it takes, even die. And with these people, she just might.

James McCarthy also gives a good performance, or at least he seems talented because of the British accent. He seems out of place in the old West, but quite sophisticated and able to handle himself if needed.

It's different from the average Western. Not the gold standard of "Blazing Saddles", but .... interesting.

A Decent Story but Clumsily Told

[Uriah43 · 2/10 · 12 February 2020]

This film essentially begins with a dastardly gambler by the name of "Prescott Sievers" (James McCarthy) finding out that gold has been discovered nearby on land that belongs to an Indian tribe known as the Black Claw. So in order to get his hands on the gold he concocts an elaborate scheme in which he tricks a married couple into trespassing on this land with the hope that they will be killed by the Black Claw. Once this happens he figures that it will trigger a war which will result in their total annihilation and thereby making it easier for him to get what he wants. What Prescott doesn't count on, however, is a recently discharged cavalry officer by the name of "Captain Bugle" (Alvin Cowan) finding out about his scheme and riding out to bring the married couple back before anything happens. Unfortunately, because of bitter resentments within the Black Claw tribe this rescue attempt is even more difficult than Captain Bugle has realized as well. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a low-budget film which had a decent plot but was rather clumsily executed and also suffered from extremely poor acting. That being said, I don't consider this to be a good film by any means and for that reason I have rated it accordingly.

DREADFUL, in a Word!!

[tcwaterford · 1/10 · 27 January 2023]

Had there been a minus scale, I would have given this abomination, a 7, that is a - 7.

The script could have been written by any 7 year old and would have had a higher score.

The Acting is Dreadful, YES I mean Dreadful!!, so poor in fact that Amateur could not describe it!.

As for the accents, the actor playing the Irish man, is so poor that he should be horse whipped by the HORSE itself!!.

This farse has ZERO redeeming aspects whatsoever!, apart from the ending credits, which in my humble opinion, should be hugely applauded as it signals the end of this attempt at a Western!.

FINALLY as there appears to be no director, no Actors, no productction to speak of.

I suggest that the Horse should keep that Whip in its hand for the Bankers who financed this!.

Great Western!

[BradPaulson · 10/10 · 15 May 2012]

Really fun movie! You can tell the filmmakers had a great time making it. Alvin Cowan has a great screen presence and makes for a likable, back to the days of cliffhanger serials hero. Supporting character actor Steve Guilmette makes for one of the funniest drunken sidekicks I've seen in a while. The supporting cast as well (especially the characters that are introduced in the saloon) are fantastic. It's fun to see a throwback movie like this done in this day and age. It's a great escape and a movie for all ages.

The Burk Brothers have done a fantastic job with this very entertaining western. I'm looking forward to their upcoming work and keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel!