MovieChat Forums > The Journeyman (2001) Discussion > Wow

Wow

posted 19 years ago by D_MORLEY10
5 replies | jump to latest

This is by far the darkest and most troubling western that I have ever seen. One of the darkest and most troubling movies at that. Really got me thinking. However, unfortantately it's just another case of how westerns have gone down the drain this decade with the exception of Open Range. The only halfway decent westerns these days are aimed at psychology, a good idea, but no one seems to have the budget to pull it off successfully. No one seems to be willing to put forth the money to make a good western, and it's a shame.

The Journeyman had a lot of characters and was sprawling. However it was much too short to be the way it was, more time was needed for all of the characters to really get a feel for them. And obviously, this film could've been improved everywhere with the exception of the story, though that wasn't perfect either. I just wish that someone with enough money would give a good western a go, cuz i'm sure it would draw the viewers. It's a shame to see such futile attempts as The Journeyman.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] WalterDenton 10 years ago

I agree with you, this western was sick, I liked Open Range as well, let's face it the west wasn't Roy Rogers or Bonanza, but I don't think a psychotic bastard like the one doing all the killing in this film would have lasted much longer than one strange ass killing before he would have been hunted down and dealt with. It seems, that most modern film makers make westerns to deride them, and to make them as weird and sick as they can. Hats off to Kevin Costner for Open Range. I wish Encore westerns would quit showing this sort of trash like The Journeyman.

"It's the stuff that dreams are made of."

[–] Naughty-God 10 years ago

You liked Open Range because it ended with a nice Hollyweird ending, which was no different than what Bonanza or any Roy Rogers musical aimed for. While I also enjoyed Open Range, I did think it was sappy in some parts and overreaching with its "righteous cowboy ethic" portrayed by Duvall, Costner and their two cow hands.

As for The Journeyman, if you actually read up on some stories of the old West you'll find far worse atrocities that took place for years, not just weeks and months as portrayed in this film.

I applaud this film for not making excuses for its own story, oh and btw the 'bad guys' all met their end in some way or form if you didn't happen to notice.

[–] huwdj (4562) 7 years ago

I don't think there is a lot of psychology in this film. A bunch of very bad men do some very bad things and many years later one of the people who's life they ruined - but who himself is now a very very bad man and apparently already dying - comes back to reap revenge. There are some interesting performances but overall it's rambling wreck of a film with far too many story lines and a terrible waste of Assumpta Serna.