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You want really great vengeance? See some Chun-wook Park films, like the two about which I recently wrote.
This film, directed and starring Tommy Lee Jones is a simplistic (not simple) story about a man exacting vengeance on the person whom he feels wrongly killed his friend.
Yes, it's worth seeing but it pales beside "Unforgiven," which is a very good American film, but which also is a bit moralistic and simplistic but far superior.
The main problem with Melquiades is the acting and directing. Tommy ain't no leadin' man and neither is his "victim." The directorial style, if I may be so bold as to call it such, is pretty much "connect the dots."
A good film, mind you, but it fails from a lack of mystery and complexity.
Tommy is a Harvard man and a polo aficionado so I think he may be doing a bit of pandering here... kind of like W chainsawin'.
Follow Ups:
This is a sort of old fashioned Western where a man's word is his bond. Pete does what he promises. I thought this was a remarkable movie. In comparison with Oldboy, although I liked Oldboy's glittering surface, I found it ultimately ridiculous. Did not bother with any others of his. Although Three Extremes just came out this week on DVD and I will get that one.
this a "promise-theme" film???
Tommy never promised to avenge his friend's death so your opinion would allow Pete to just... bury him.
He does force the border guard to face the consequences of his action. To me, this seems similar to forcing a robber to pay back the money he stole from the victim. I don't see this as vengeance or revenge, more simple (but rough) justice. I guess I see a bit more subtlety to this story than you do. After all, the killing was not intentional. And the border guard is not thoroughly evil. Revenge is certainly common enough in movies, including Westerns, but revenge is usually taken against people who do evil things, not simply make a mistake.
was the fact that it took twenty minutes for Mel to die but the ranger did NOTHING to save him. That's murder.
Tommy seems to have killing in mind from the beginning: remember the many times he threatened to kill his "prisoner" is he tried to escape... and believably said so?
Actually, the film seems to be about redemption through revenge: remember the strong point made about the Mexican woman smashing his nose in retribution and forgiving him later?
Hey, did you notice Levon Helm from the Band? He was the old blind geezer...
I'm not going to argue opinions, but thanks for telling me that part. I had no idea.
*
..a remarkable movie too.
Less 'slick', more gritty than the Unforgiven.
Many layered with an extraordinary performance by Barry Pepper.
Jones acting, directing skills waere just right, IMHO.
another "a mans word is his bond" (Larry McMurtrie) Western
I enjoyed the followup to this, Streets of Laredo, even moreIf vengeance is the theme; with many a strange twist on the genre;
Peckinpahs Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia is about as dark as it gets... there is NO road to redemption once Warren Oates discovers that happiness is a warm gunGrins
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