Blackthorn – Film Review
Director: Mateo Gil
Starring: Sam Shepard, Eduardo Noriega and Stephen Rea
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
The Western genre appears to making quite a reemergence in recent years. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, 3:10 to Yuma and True Grit are just some of the more recent examples. These films all borrow heavily from past examples of the genre, by either examining the material from a different perspective or by simply remaking it.
Blackthorn goes down a similar route, focusing on the outlaw Butch Cassidy. Unlike previous films, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid most notably, Blackthorn toys with the notion that Cassidy wasn’t killed in Bolivia, as is commonly believed. Instead, it suggests that he lived for a further twenty odd years under the alias of James Blackthorn.
The film captures the aura of the Western particularly well. Landscapes are rich in colors, harking back to the Technicolor days of the 50s and 60s. Despite the aesthetics, however, this is a much grittier film than the original 1969 version. Instead of the buddy comedy (the bromance, to borrow a more modern term), with sharp, witty humor and dialogue, this is a film about an old man meditating on the importance of friendship in his twilight years.
Like Cassidy himself, the pace of the film has slowed almost to a crawl in comparison to the Newman and Redford film. Shepard as Cassidy does an excellent job of portraying the grizzled outlaw in retirement. He is charming when required to be, but blunt as a spade around people he doesn’t respect. He is a simple but endearing character, one the audience should have no problems connecting with.
His partner, the exotically name Eduardo Apodaca, is a little more complex. It is difficult to know where he stands or what kind of man he is. Cassidy’s reluctant friendship with him parallels our own acceptance of his character, both of which require almost the entire running time of the film. Together, they attempt to outrun some bandits that are after Eduardo’s money, half of which he promises Butch in exchange for his assistance. This results in some, but not many, exciting scenes including a chase in a mine shaft (not Indiana Jones style!) and a shoot out on a salt plain.
It is clear that, with their relationship, the director is attempting to shadow the bond that was shared between Butch and Sundance, which in turn causes Butch to reflect on his escapades and their friendship. These flashbacks give great insight into his character, and can often lead into the films more entertaining scenes. One in particular, in which Butch and Sundance run into trouble in a brothel, is a real crowd-pleaser.
These flashbacks, as well as some other scenes, supplement some casual nods to the Newman/Redford film, providing a little fan service. It’s a shame that there aren’t more of these, because the film thrives on it’s light hearted scenes, such as a surreal but appropriate banjo-on-a-mule scene, and drags when focusing on the more profound material. There are some emotional scenes that can be quite moving, but they take themselves far too seriously.
Blackthorn, in telling a story that is in essence an epilogue, takes a little too long in it’s 102 minute running time to tell. While its use of symbolism is impressive, most notably in the environments the duo traverse, it has a tendency to drag when Butch is contemplating his more profound thoughts.
That said, the more action orientated scenes are enjoyable to watch, and the performances are solid. Stephen Rea is particularly good as a stereotyped drunken Irishman and rebounds well off of Shepards’ Butch. Not quite as deep a film as it wants to be, but saved by it’s more engaging scenes.
Score: 3/5
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