Young Guns
Directed by Christopher Cain
- western
The story
A group of young gunmen, led by Billy the Kid, become deputies to avenge the murder of the rancher who became their benefactor. But when Billy takes their authority too far, they become the hunted.
What it’s like
Dusty, sun-bleached New Mexico frontier shot in warm, saturated daylight, with wide open plains, big-sky horizons and dust hanging in the air, then close, sweaty campfire and saloon interiors lit by lanterns and flickering orange. The score leans on swelling brass and rolling guitar and the soundscape is full of hoofbeats, creaking wagons and gunfire cracks. Its vibe is rowdy, boyish and restless, a brash Saturday-matinee western with a streak of melancholy underneath. The pacing is brisk and episodic, with frequent chases, standoffs and tavern brawls alternating with quieter stretches of bantering camaraderie. Violence is regular and fairly stylised: shootouts with squibs and blood, a few hangings and beatings, nothing lingering or gratuitous, and some crude frontier language and rough humour. Its emotional core follows a band of reckless young men growing into loyalty and grief as their hero-worship curdles into something darker. Best for people who want a fun, action-packed period western with a young ensemble cast, a comfort watch for a lazy afternoon or a rowdy movie night.
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