The Quick And The Dead
Think you're quick enough?
Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman and director Sam Raimi reinvent the American Western in this wild, sexy shoot-out studded with action, suspense, and offbeat humor.
Member Reviews
High Noon it Isn't! - Ilania
The image of somebody standing in the center of the town with the saloon on one side and the barbershop on the other, with hands ready to pull was made a classic by Gary Cooper in High Noon. In this film the gun tricks are quick, the acting very good, even Sharon Stone pulls her weight....yet the film is not memorable. Yes Gene Hackman does everything superbly and Leonardo DiCaprio is a charming youngster. But in this film, Russell Crowe gets the thumbs up for me.Unforgiven on Steroids - Stitch
Oops, I mean estrogen...’cause it’s Sharon Stone who does the Big Hurt here. And I suggest gives a decent portrayal of a daughter deservedly out for vengeance. She nicely sidesteps the relentless tough broad persona and allows enough compassion and fear to surface to humanize the character. Which works well in counterpoint to most of the cartoon bad guys. Young Leonard DiCaprio is along for the fun and manages a convincing teen-style bravado. And manfully delivers a line he’s saddled with near the end that deserves the gold medal for banal. Near the conclusion; watch for it. Got my 'respect', for sure.
Russell Crowe is the only other character deserving of sympathy and turns in a believable gritty performance. He doesn’t have much screen time to develop the character because Raimi wisely chose to avoid any heart wrenching examination of Crowe’s redeemed outlaw. Nope, this opera is for ordinary citizens just like us lined up every day on the sidewalk to watch fantastical shoot-outs between the bad versus the not-so-bad. I can’t imagine anyone worrying about realism—just sit back and place your bets on who’ll be left standing at the end. Or maybe how, since the who in these epics is usually pretty predictable.
Hackman aptly named Herod does the king villain bit; he’s a pro at this so no big stretch. The balance of the cast are a hoot. Pat Hingle still hangs in there, as the father of a teen no less; did you know he got his first walk-on part in 1954’s On the Waterfront? There’s some nice images for fans of western sunsets. The score works but nothing memorable.
But the capper is the dialogue. Like the action, the one-liners are non-stop. Stone has her share, but not exclusively. Some of them are a tad dark; who knew killing and dying could be so much fun. Some are classic.
Recommended as a dark violent amusing hoot of a film; no pretense to reality. Not for the little ones.A sexy gun slinger - Willy1
Sharon Stone kicks ass in this action/western film as a female Dirty Harry gunslinger. Stone plays Ellen, a sexy tough-as-nails gunslinger that rides into town when she learns of a gunfighting competition in a depressing dingy town headed by John Herod (Gene Hackman). The winner of the competition gets a large pot of money, but Ellen is not in it for the prize. She is in it for revenge against Jerod, who is the man responsible for the death of her father. This is a great vengeance film to watch on a weekend afternoon. This was a different side of Sharon Stone to look at, as she is usually seen as the sexy and seductive villian in some of her other roles.
Member Reviews
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High Noon it Isn't! - Ilania
The image of somebody standing in the center of the town with the saloon on one side and the barbershop on the other, with hands ready to pull was made a classic by Gary Cooper in High Noon. In this film the gun tricks are quick, the acting very good, even ...Unforgiven on Steroids - Stitch
Oops, I mean estrogen...’cause it’s Sharon Stone who does the Big Hurt here. And I suggest gives a decent portrayal of a daughter deservedly out for vengeance. She nicely sidesteps the relentless tough broad persona and allows enough compassion and fear to ...A sexy gun slinger - Willy1
Sharon Stone kicks ass in this action/western film as a female Dirty Harry gunslinger. Stone plays Ellen, a sexy tough-as-nails gunslinger that rides into town when she learns of a gunfighting competition in a depressing dingy town headed by John Herod (Gene ...