Appaloosa is based on a 2005 novel of the same name, by Robert B. Parker. It's written, produced and directed by Ed Harris and co-written by Robert Knott. It stars Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger and Jeremy Irons. Expert gunmen Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) are hired to bring law and order to outpost town Appaloosa which is suffering under the brutal rule of rancher Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons). The film opens with Bragg's cold-blooded murder of the previous Marshall and his deputy, so we are left in do doubt as to why the townspeople are so terrified of him. Things are complicated by the arrival of ...  Read the complete review

This film arrived from my lovefilm rental list at the weekend and we duly sat down to watch it. It was a film I had added to the list because it had popped up on one of those recommendation boxes, whereby it tells you that if you liked a particular film (in this case 3:10 To Yuma) then you may well enjoy this one. Its actually not bad and quite enjoyable, if somewhat predictable and true to 90% of western style films - i.e. bad guys need running out of town and many gun battles are needed before this can be achieved. This film was directed by Ed Harris who also plays one of the lead roles as Virgil Cole. Plot ==== The film ...  Read the complete review

Appaloosa is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by crime writer Robert B. Parker, and was directed and co-written by Ed Harris, as well as starring him alongside Viggo Mortensen, Renee Zellweger, and Jeremy Irons. This is by no means an overly outstanding or instantly gratifying Western, but it certainly has some depth for the patient viewer, as well as some fine performances, and well crafted characters that are smart and realistic, unlike the majority of westerns. This isn't exactly a revisionist western - it's more of a throwback, but it's also got a lot of intellect, and isn't a typical gunslinger film. The plot revolves around lawman ...  Read the complete review

Directed by Ed Harris and released into cinemas in 2008, APPALOOSA tells the story of 2 men who are hired to protect the own of Appaloosa from an evil rancher. The narrative tells of the problems they face, including the pull of a beautiful widow, played by Renee Zellweger. The lead characters are played by Harris and Viggo Mortensen, who bring a real sense of menace to their protectorate characters. I don't really believe that Zellweger would interest these men as much as the film has us believe, but the shootouts in the film are very good. Viggo Mortensen is particularly excellent in his role, as the quiet gunman Everett. The DVD is ...  Read the complete review

Hubby loves the old western movies so when he saw the release of Appaloosa he could not wait to see if the modern western could compete, hubby loved it and I have to say I quite enjoyed it myself although I had not really expected to. Appaloosa tells the story of two lawmen (Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch) who find their way to Appaloosa to be given the task of bringing law back to the town after Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons) has been running the town his way and doing what he likes including killing the last Sheriff and his deputy. Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) is a bit of a law unto himself and he needs to be kept in tow by his long time sidekick and ...  Read the complete review