ELVIS : Tuesday 28th June 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'ELVIS' at my local multiplex this week, and this Australian and US Co-Produced biographical musical drama film is Co-Written for the screen, based on a story, Directed and Co-Produced by Baz Luhrmann whose previous film making credits take in his debut 'Strictly Ballroom' in 1992, 'Romeo + Juliet' in 1996, 'Moulin Rouge!' in 2001, 'Australia' in 2008 and 'The Great Gatsby' in 2013. The film had its World Premier screening at the Cannes Film Festival on 25th May where it received a twelve minute standing ovation. Released in Australia and worldwide last week, it was originally scheduled to be released in early October 2021, before being delayed to early November 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and then later to last week. It cost US$85M to produce, has so far grossed US$52M from its opening weekend and a further US$13M since for a worldwide total so far of US$65M, and has garnered generally positive critical acclaim.

The film opens up in 1997 with Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks) on his death bed recalling his memories of how he first discovered Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) and how he led him on the path to worldwide superstardom as his manager, mentor, guardian and custodian. The film then takes us back to the late 1940's and a young Elvis (Chaydon Jay) had a largely poverty driven upbringing in Tupelo, Mississippi with his parents Vernon (Richard Roxburgh), who had served jail time, and Gladys (Helen Thomson). Elvis finds his personal means of escape and his own lifeline in music, and in particular gospel music, which he falls under the spell off as a young boy. In his late teens he is often ridiculed by his peer group because of his strong leaning towards African American music to be heard bellowing out from the clubs and bars on Memphis' Beale Street where the likes of B.B. King (Kelvin Harrison Jnr.) and Little Richard (Alton Mason) hang out at 'Club Handy'.

Parker grew up around the carnivals and travelling fair's turning a dollar on the gullibility on his audience night after night. He is also managing Hank Snow (David Wenham) and his son Jimmie Snow (Kodi Smit-McPhee) but as soon as Parker hears Elvis belting out his debut song on the radio he becomes determined to track the singer down and manage his affairs from here on in. Parker eventually meets and persuades Elvis to let him take control of his career by having Vernon and Gladys sign a contract with Vernon appointed as Elvis' Business Manager which begins a meteoric ascent. 

However, not all of the public is impressed with the young entertainer, labelling him 'Elvis the Pelvis' because of his trademark hips and legs wiggle. Many parents fear that his music is corrupting their children, especially the young and impressionable daughters, and racist politicians also attack him. He is asked to downplay the wiggle and stand up straight, not gyrate his hips, and wear a suit with tails onstage, which he does once under the guise of 'The New Elvis', but his fans rebel against this demanding they want 'The Old Elvis' back. After a violent incident at a stadium concert, Elvis finds himself facing a possible jail term because he gave the fans what they wanted to hear and see. However, it is suggested that Parker persuades the government to draft Elvis into the US Army in 1958 as a way of avoiding any further legal proceedings. During his time in the Army on a posting to Germany, Elvis learns that Gladys has died of alcoholism. He is distraught by the news and almost inconsolable. Parker comforts Elvis and Vernon in their hour of need and says to Elvis that while he is overseas seeing out his Army service that he will take care of all of his affairs and need not worry about a thing. 

While stationed in Germany, Elvis meets Priscilla Beaulieu (Olivia DeJonge), and upon his discharge, he resumes his career-making concert tours and Hollywood feature films while Parker's control of his life takes on an even stronger grip. Elvis is devastated by the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 and Robert Kennedy also in 1968, and wishes to become more politically outspoken in his music while Parker merely wants him to sing family friendly frivolous songs that will be No.1 best sellers. He hires Jerry Schilling (Luke Bracey) and Steve Binder (Dacre Montgomery) to resurrect his ailing career (which they described as being 'in the toilet'), much to Parker's disliking. Schilling and Binder orchestrate Elvis' 1968 Comeback Tour which has massive television success and reestablishes the singer right back to his former glory years. 

The International Hotel is set to open on the Las Vegas strip, and while Elvis has plans to tour Europe Parker has other ideas. He downplays touring Europe based on the cost involved that would heavily eat into any profits made and the security risks associated with travelling to foreign lands. Instead, Parker suggests that The International Hotel would offer Elvis a six week residency at no cost, because they need a big name act to help establish the new hotel as a gaming and entertainment destination, and quickly. Afterwards, Parker says, he can tour overseas. But afterwards never comes, as Parker who is now heavily in debt to a casino for his gambling addiction, secretly and without any consultation with Elvis commits the singer to a residency term of five years in exchange for US$5M for Elvis, plus an unlimited line of credit and the waiving of all debts owed by Parker. 

Elvis puts his all into his sell out stage shows at The International Hotel, but eventually grows tired of Parker and attempts to fire him, only to be sued by the latter for more than US$8M for expenses incurred since day one of their relationship. Elvis chides Vernon as his Business Manager saying that he was supposed to oversee all of his finances, but Vernon only responds with the fact that he will have to sell Graceland and that sum will leave him broke and destitute. A vicious argument ensues between Elvis and Parker as he is about to leave for the airport and embark on a European Tour, but afterwards Elvis has to concede that he has no choice but to maintain his management from Parker, and instead embark on a fifteen city tour of the US instead. Ultimately, they grow apart and rarely see each other afterwards.

Following this, Elvis's life spirals on a seemingly ever downward trajectory as Priscilla takes their daughter Lisa Marie and leaves him over his prescription drug addiction, which grows even stronger after she is gone. They divorce in 1973. Later, as Elvis is about to board his private plane and bidding farewell to Lisa Marie at the airport, Priscilla jumps in the back of the limo and the pair share a private and tender moment. Elvis says to his former wife that he is approaching his fortieth birthday and that no one will remember him when he is gone. As the pair part company and Elvis boards his plane he mouths the words 'I will always love you' to Priscilla. Elvis died from a heart attack on 16th August 1977 at the age of 42. 

The final scene is one of Elvis's last shows which depicts him as being bloated and pale looking, while singing 'Unchained Melody' at the piano, with real footage from the concert as key moments from his life are shown, with Parker passing away old and alone in 1997. The closing credits reveal that Parker's financial and contractual abuse of Elvis was the subject of litigation by the Presley Estate after Elvis' death. Parker spent his last years gambling away his money on casino slot machines, while Elvis remains the best-selling solo artist of all-time and one of the most beloved entertainers in music history.

I sat in a packed out cinema theatre half full of baby boomers who would have been around in the '60's and '70's to see the real events unfold, with the other half being millennials who would have been there for the entertainment and education factors and to see the legendary King of Rock 'n' Roll writ large on the silver screen. What was unusual was the applause this film garnered from the gathered audience when the end credits rolled, which is telling in its own right! Unlike his previous 'The Great Gatsby' which for me was all style with little substance, in 'Elvis' Luhrmann has delivered an extravagant spectacular biopic that has style and substance in equal measure and that will keep you glued to the screen for all of its 160 minute run time. Austin Butler lives and breathes EP and his performance is near perfect in terms of his looks, his singing, his gyrating, his dancing and his persona in a role that we are unlikely to find as convincing this year. As for Tom Hanks in his fat suit and prosthetic face and nose made up to resemble Col. Tom Parker in all his manipulative, controlling illegal alien personality, it was at times hard for me to see behind the Mr. Nice Guy image that Hanks more often than not portrays in his film roles. That said though, I learned a lot about EP's Manager and their 20+ year relationship that turned toxic towards the end, even though Elvis kept coming back to him time after time like a lost puppy no matter how harshly he was treated. 'Elvis' is a brash film that will keep you pondering the King's life, and all of its twists and turns, ups and downs long after the credits have rolled. It's memorable for a whole bunch of reasons and has Luhrmann's trademark glitz and glamour written all over it while attempting to explain how a little kid growing up poor in Tupelo came to become the most successful solo music artist of all time and as popular still today some 45 years after his death, as he was when he was alive. 

'ELVIS' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 11th - 17th June 2017.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Kodi Smit-McPhee does on 13th June - check out my tribute to this Birthday Lad turning 21, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 11th June

• Hugh Laurie - Born 1959, turns 58 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director | Singer
• Peter Dinklage - Born 1969, turns 48 - Actor | Producer
• Shia LaBeouf - Born 1986, turns 31 - Actor | Director | Producer | Writer   

Monday 12th June

• Richard Ayoade - Born 1977, turns 40 - Actor | Writer | Director | Producer
• Dave Franco - Born 1985, turns 32 - Actor | Writer | Producer
• Frances O'Connor - Born 1967, turns 50 - Actress  

Tuesday 13th June

• Malcolm McDowell - Born 1943, turns 74 - Actor | Producer
• Stellan Skarsgard - Born1951, turns 66 - Actor | Producer
• Tim Allen - Born 1953, turns 64 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• Chris Evans - Born 1981, turns 36 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Aaron Taylor-Johnson - Born 1990, turns 27 - Actor 
• Kodi Smit-McPhee - Born 1996, turns 21 - Actor
• Ally Sheedy - Born 1962, turns 55 - Actress 
• Kathy Burke - Born 1964, turns 53 - Actress | Writer | Director | Producer  
• Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen - Born 1986, turns 31 - Actresses | Producers | Twin Sisters 

Wednesday 14th June

• Diablo Cody - Born 1978, turns 39 - Writer | Producer | Director
• Donald Trump - Born 1946, turns 71 - Actor | Producer | Television Personality | President of the USA | Leader of the Free World   

Thursday 15th June

• Jim Belushi - Born 1954, turns 63 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director | 
• Ice Cube (aka O'Shea Jackson) - Born 1969, turns 48 - Singer | Songwriter | Actor | Producer | Writer | Director
• Jake Busey - Born 1971, turns 46 - Actor | Producer
• Neil Patrick Harris - Born 1973, turns 44 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director | Singer
• Helen Hunt - Born 1963, turns 54 - Actress | Director | Producer | Writer 
• Courteney Cox - Born 1964, turns 53 - Actress | Producer | Director | Singer  

Friday 16th June

• James Bolam - Born 1935, turns 82 - Actor 
• Arnold Vosloo - Born 1962, turns 55 - Actor | Producer
• John Choo - Born 1972, turns 45 - Actor | Producer
• Daniel Bruhl - Born 1978, turns 39 - Actor | Producer   

Saturday 17th June

• Ken Loach - Born 1936, turns 81 - Director | Writer | Producer
• Thomas Haden Church - Born 1960, turns 57 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director
• Greg Kinnear - Born 1963, turns 54 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director
• Jason Patric - Born 1966, turns 51 - Actor 
• Will Forte - Born 1970, turns 47 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Singer
• Louis Leterrier - Born 1973, turns 44 - Director | Producer 
• Scott Adkins - Born 1976, turns 41 - Actor | Producer

Kodi Smit-McPhee was born in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia to mother Sonja and father Andy McPhee - an Actor and professional wrestler. Kodi has an older sister, Sianoa, born in early 1992, and she is an Actress, Singer and Songwriter. When the young Kodi was about three years of age the family unit relocated to Melbourne.

Smit-McPhee's debut screen appearance came in the 2006 Stuart McDonald Directed 52 minute short film 'Stranded', and this was followed up by 'Fatal Contact : Bird Flu in America' with Joely Richardson and Stacy Keach. Another short film of fifteen minutes also appeared in 2006 - 'End of Town' and then four episodes on the first and only season of television series 'Monarch Cove', before biographical drama 'The King' about the story of Graham Kennedy, described as Australia's first and greatest home grown television superstar. These in turn led to Smit-McPhee's breakout role at the tender age of ten in the Richard Roxburgh biographical drama 'Romulus, My Father' playing the young son Raimond Gaita to father Romulus (Eric Bana) and mother Christina (Franka Potenta). Smit-McPhee won the Young Actors Award at the 2007 Australian Film Institute Awards, was also nominated for Best Lead Actor, and won a Special Achievement Award at the Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards.  

'The Tender Hook' followed in 2008 with Rose Byrne and Hugo Weaving, and then another awards worthy performance in John Hillcoat's 2009 post-apocalyptic world adventure drama 'The Road' based on the Cormac McCarthy novel and starring alongside Viggo Mortensen, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and Charlize Theron. 

'Matching Jack' came next in 2010 with Richard Roxburgh, Colin Friels and James Nesbitt. More award wins and nominations followed for his performance in the 2010 Matt Reeves Written and Directed remake of the earlier 2008 Swedish film 'Let the Right One In', with horror mystery 'Let Me In' opposite Chloe Grace Moretz and Richard Jenkins. Aussie drama film 'Dead Europe' followed as did live action/animated Sci-Fi drama film 'The Congress' with Robin Wright, Paul Giamatti, John Hamm, Danny Huston and Harvey Keitel. 'Romeo & Juliet' with Hailee Steinfeld, Damian Lewis, Stellan Skarsgard and Paul Giamatti also arrived at our screens in 2013, as did 'A Birder's Guide to Everything' with Ben Kingsley. 

2014 saw Smit-McPhee work with Matt Reeves again in 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' with Andy Serkis, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Toby Kebbell and Keri Russell. The same year also saw 'All the Wilderness' with Danny DeVito, Virginia Madsen and Isabelle Fuhrman, and then Sci-Fi post-drought apocalypse actioner 'Young Ones' with Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult and Elle Fanning. 

Western 'Slow West' as Directed and Written by John Maclean was released in 2015 and also starred Michael Fassbender, Ben Mendelssohn, and this lead into the seven part one hundredth anniversary television drama mini-series special 'Gallipoli' with Smit-McPhee taking a lead role as seventeen year old Thomas 'Tolly' Johnson who lies about his age so that he can enlist in the First World War effort with his brother, and ultimately fight at Gallipoli in the raging, bloody and long drawn out battle that helped create the legend of the ANZAC's.

In 2016 Smit-McPhee starred as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in Bryan Singer's 'X-Men : Apocalypse' based on the popular and long running film franchise founded on the Marvel Comics characters. This ninth film in the 'X-Men' franchise stars an ensemble cast that you will be well aware of, and took US$544M at the global Box Office. 

Next up for Smit-McPhee is 'The Solutrean' Written and Directed by Albert Hughes and due for release towards the back end of this year. The film tells the survival story set 20,000 years ago during the last Ice Age as a young caveman struggles against the elements to find his way home after a hunting expedition goes awry. 

All up Smit-McPhee has 26 Acting credits to his name, having lent his voice talents also to the animated features 'ParaNorman' and 'Maya the Bee Movie'. He has already amassed three award wins for his performances in 'Romulus, My Father' and 'Let Me In' plus a further 23 nominations. Kodi is now a resident of Los Angeles, California where he lives with this Actress sister. 

Kodi Smit-McPhee - the young lad from Adelaide has done good; just 21 years of age and already has worked with some of the best Acting and Directorial talent in the business, and, has the accolades to prove it; is a star on the rise; in demand and sought after; and has got the talent to work across just about all genres. Happy 21st Birthday to you Kodi, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

X-MEN : APOCALYPSE : Saturday 21st May 2016.

'X-MEN : APOCALYPSE' which I saw with my 15 year old lad at the weekend is the eagerly awaited ninth film in the hugely successful 'X-Men' franchise and is now on general release with high expectations given how the more recent films in the series have performed. With Bryan Singer back in the Director's chair having also Directed the series opening two films 'X-Men' and 'X2' in 2000 and 2003 respectively, with 2014's 'Days of Future Past' too, it seems that this instalment is in safe and confident hands. In the meantime there has been 'The Last Stand', 'Origins : Wolverine', 'First Class', 'The Wolverine' and this years 'Deadpool'. Counting those previous eight films, the series has so far made US$3.82B from a combined Budget of US$1.08B, with 'Apocalypse' costing US$178M to bring to the big screen. 'Deadpool' has be the most lucrative so far returning US$763M from an outlay of just US$58M compared to 'Days of Future Past' as the next best which returned US$748M from a US$200M outlay. The film Premiered in London on 9th May, was released here in Australia on 19th May and opens in the US on 27th May, and has so far grossed US$115M prior to its US opening, albeit very mixed Reviews from the critics.

And so to this next instalment we see En Sabah Nur, aka 'Apocalypse' (Oscar Isaac) who is the ruler over ancient Egypt some 5,000 years ago and the first and most powerful mutant worshipped as a God since time began. He is both immortal and invincible having amassed the power of many other mutants along the way to becoming all powerful. As the film opens we see him in ancient Egypt about to change his body to preserve his immortality, but during the transference process to do so is betrayed by his worshippers and as a result he is entombed alive for centuries. His followers 'The Four Horsemen' are destroyed in the process while fending off those seeking to end his tyrannical reign.

We then fast forward to 1983 and Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) working for the CIA is hot on the heels of a cult who worship the ruins of what they believe is some ancient force buried deep beneath the surface of modern day Egypt but which they have been able to locate and tunnel access to. Reading the hieroglyphics on the visible part of the tomb, they unwittingly set in motion a chain of events that lead to the awakening of Sabah Nur and a resulting earthquake felt half way around the world. When Sabah Nur surfaces he quickly begins to assimilate to the world of the 20th Century and seeks to recruit four new horsemen, realising quickly that mankind has lost its way and forgotten about him. His first recruit is Ororo Munroe, aka 'Storm' (Alexandra Shipp), and then Elizabeth Braddock, aka 'Psylocke' (Olivia Munn), and then Warren Worthington III, aka 'Angel' aka 'Archangel' (Ben Hardy) and finally Erik Lehnsherr, aka 'Magneto' (Michael Fassbender). Supported by his followers each with a unique set of skills which Sabah Nur is able to further enhance and manipulate, he sets in motion a plan to destroy the known world and rebuild it in his image as he desires, and in so doing create a new world order.

Meanwhile, as this is going on Professor Charles Xavier, aka 'Professor X' (James McAvoy) is going about his daily business at his mansion home for gifted children, when he learns that Erik has resurfaced from self imposed exile and a life of domesticity somewhere in a Polish backwater following the events that unfolded at the end of 'Days of Future Past'. Seeking to connect with Erik through 'Cerebro', Sabah Nur is able to hack into the Professors own mind and discover the only power that he does not yet possess, but which he wants and needs to compete his arsenal and realise his dominance over the world. In doing so, and to protect himself, Sabah Nur simultaneously commands all world authorities to launch their nuclear weapons into outer space, so that he can go about his world rebuilding exercise unhindered and free from potential nuclear attack.

Having done this, Sabah Nur and his four newly recruited powered-up Horsemen transport themselves into the heart of the Professors mansion to kidnap him, so that the Professors mind powers can be transferred into that of Sabah Nur. A ensuing explosion destroys the mansion to a big hole in the ground with nothing left but dust and rubble, but not before Peter Maximoff, aka 'Quicksilver' (Evan Peters) is able to remove all inhabitants to safety using his supersonic speed abilities, apart from Alex Summers, aka 'Havoc' (Lucas Till) who was at the epicentre of the blast and perished.

No sooner has the dust settled then William Stryker (Josh Helman) descends and arrests Hank McCoy, aka 'Beast' (Nicholas Hoult), Raven Darkholme, aka 'Mystique' (Jennifer Lawrence), Peter and Moira, and takes them to a secret test and observation facility for interrogation believing them to have been responsible for Sabah Nur's attack. Scott Summers, aka 'Cyclops' (Tye Sheridan), Jean Grey, aka 'Phoenix' (Sophie Turner) and Kurt Wagner, aka 'Nightcrawler' (Kodi Smit-McPhee) secretly follow behind to liberate their mutant colleagues, and do so with the help of Logan, aka 'Weapon X' (Hugh Jackman in a brief non-speaking rampaging slicing & dicing killing spree) freed from the confines of a brainwashing experiment within the facility, and at the hands of Stryker.

The final showdown comes in Cairo as Sabah Nur commands Erik to use all the might of his powers to control the two Earth's magnetic poles causing widespread destruction (the Sydney Opera House scene is particularly impressive) and untold casualties. At this point the newly formed X-Men must face off against The Four Horsemen as Sabah Nur begins the process of transferring the Professor's mind into his own body. As Erik controls all they worlds metals to rise up out of the ground, the built city infrastructure, and the seabed, so Quicksilver and Mystique try to talk sense into him, and eventually he relents coming to his senses and seeing the true nature and motivation of what Sabah Nur is prepared to do to get his way, at any and all costs.

With his energy ebbing away and Sabah Nur rising all powerful, the Professor encourages Jean Grey to unleash her full, as yet unrealised, potential on Sabah Nur. She eventually musters the inner strength and determination to do so, resulting in his demise as his mortal form is incinerated into ashes. Archangel perishes in the clash, Psylocke is seen slinking off into the shadows, Storm takes sides with the X-Men realising which side her bread is best buttered on, and Magneto and Professor X kiss and make up. Once the world returns to safety and the widespread clean up operation begins, we see Erik stood floating thirty feet above the ground rebuilding the Professors Mansion by mind controlling the building materials to restore it to its former glory all in an afternoon's work! The Professor asks Erik to stay one more time, stating that he has seen so much good inside his mind, but Erik thanks him and says no, turns away and exits stage right. The new X-Men assemble in a training room, suited up for a mock battle against a number of Sentinels to prepare them for what is to come.

I enjoyed this ninth instalment in the franchise, it looks good on the screen, moves quickly through its 144 minutes running time, the effects are good enough, but in the final analysis it presents nothing we have not seen before, and quite probably served up better (I am thinking last years 'Age of Ultron' - not a dis-similar premise). Being nine films in (including this years 'Deadpool') how much more can be milked from this series I wonder at the cost of seeing huge cities torn to shreds, populations annihilated, and our fragile blue & green planet laid to waste? We have seen it in 'The Avengers' films and it's spin offs, and most recently too in 'Batman v. Superman' but at least the authorities in those films what to keep our heroes in check somehow - but no sign of that from the X-Men world order it seems. We are also introduced to new X-Men here without any real back story or sense of connectedness to them, and many of them serve just to make up the numbers contributing little to the story. At least in the latest 'Captain America' blockbuster we know all the superheroes from previous films and spin offs and can relate to them and they each serve a purpose, have a personality, a life and responsibilities, but with many of these guys there is little to relate to, except that they are good at destroying stuff, wholesale! Watch out for the obligatory Stan Lee cameo, seen here with his wife Joanie, and wait until the final credits have rolled for a closing sequence that segwey's into the next 'Wolverine' film, and the introduction of The Essex Corporation.

  

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

'SLOW WEST' : Monday 8th June 2015.

'SLOW WEST' which I saw this week has been out on a very limited release in Australian cinemas for a few weeks now, but it caught my interest because I don't mind a good Western, it has Michael Fassbender at its lead, and the reviews have generally been favourable. Directed and Written by first time Director John Mclean this is a slow burning action adventure Western set in 1870 Colorado and filmed in New Zealand and Scotland with the former doubling for the wild frontier. The film Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival where it was awarded the Sundance Institute's World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic Winner.

The story surrounds late teenager Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit McPhee) - a Scottish lad who is in search of his true love Rose Ross (Caren Pistorios) and her father John Ross (Rory McCann) who both fled Scotland on a murder charge, and are now seeking to establish a new life in the new world. As Jay makes his way through hostile country fending for himself and getting by more through luck than judgement, he comes across Silas Selleck (Michael Fassbender) who is a drifter making a living as a bounty hunter - although he fails to disclose this to the young naive Jay. When Jay has a run in with three dodgy looking soldiers hunting down a native 'savage' it is Silas who comes to the rescue and offers his services as a chaperon to escort the young lad cross country in search of his true love.

For the sum of US$50 upfront and US$50 on delivery Silas is gainfully employed and so their journey continues. Along the way they encounter various other Desperados, opportunists and the gang of Payne (Ben Mendelsohn) with whom Silas used to be an associate in his younger days. Over a fireside chat in the woods one night with a cigar and a bottle of Absinthe Silas and Payne discuss the bounty that exists on the heads of John Ross and his daughter Rose, who the unknowing Jay is leading them to.

The next day after getting almost washed away in a storm the two continue their journey minus their guns which Payne has confiscated leaving them defenceless except for Silas' hunting knife. With Payne and his gang following but hanging back to just maintain a watchful eye, Silas and Jay eventually reach their destination spying the Ross household in the distance with a cornfield in the foreground and snow capped peaks in the background. Little do they know however, that there is another bounty hunter hot on the heels who has arrived at the homestead ahead of them.

Needless to say the showdown and the shoot out come to a head as three bounty hunters all converge almost simultaneously and the fate of the protagonists hang in the balance, and for most of them it doesn't end well. The reuniting between Rose and Jay is not without incident as the bullets fly, the blood flows, the cornfield burns, the household woodwork is peppered with holes and the body count mounts, but, amidst all this carnage, violence, death and destruction there is a happier ending!

At under a ninety minute running time this film delivers on the action but it is not overstated or stylised - it is what you would imagine of the hostile west where life is cheap, it's everyman for himself and survival of the fittest. The dialogue is sparse, the scenery epic, the story simple but reasonably well told and there are a few laugh out loud moments. The performances are solid enough although I am not convinced as to Smit-McPhee's casting as the still wet behind the ears, naive, innocent, lovelorn teenager trudging continent wide in search of his childhood sweetheart like some groundbreaking pioneer when in reality he's probably wary of his own shadow.

This is not a film you have to see on the big screen - the big screen in the comfort of your own home will suffice and so you could save yourself $20 and wait for the DVD and BluRay, but, it is well worth a look and ticks a number of boxes to the credit of John Mclean's Directorial debut and his writing prowess.

  

-Steve, at Odeon Online-