THE QUICK AND THE DEAD
A film review by Michael John Legeros
Copyright 1995 Michael John Legeros
(Tri Star) Directed by Sam Raimi (DARKMAN, ARMY OF DARKNESS) Written by Simon Moore Cast Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio Running Time 105 minutes MPAA Rating "R" (presumably for violence and language) Reviewed at General Cinemas at Pleasant Valley, Raleigh (11FEB95)
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In Sam Raimi's THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, Sharon Stone stars as a squinty eyed gunslinger--a Woman of Few Words, if you will, who rides into the town of Redemption (!) to compete in a quick-draw contest. She's really there to kill the man who runs the town (Gene Hackman), but don't tell him that. He's busy trying to wreak revenge on his former partner (Russell Crowe). And don't mess with The Kid (Leonardo DiCaprio), a cocky upstart who also wants a shot at playing Quickdraw McGraw.
Sound familiar?
THE QUICK AND THE DEAD forces the question of why we like to watch westerns. With so many cliches bumping heads--including Pat Hingle as a bartender!--we know exactly how the story is going to be played out. We know the speeches, and the stances, and the fact that the bad guys are going to get it, and get it good. That's why we're here, and that's why this film is so disappointing--because it tries to change what's tried and true.
The story softens our hero by giving her feelings and that's a mistake. Instead of the standard "slow-burn," where Stone would brood for a couple hours before killing her quarry, we have watch her wallow in self-doubt and fear. Her "human side" robs the story of strength. No longer does the story have a solid center and, so, the film immediately falls flat. Give Ms. Stone credit, though, for *trying* to be tough. She's cute and, with less dialogue, may have been something worth watching.
Cult director Sam Raimi (DARKMAN, ARMY OF DARKNESS) tries to compensate by digging deep into his bag of tricks. He gives us cool shots and wacky special effects, such as huge bullet holes that let sunshine through. He's clearly in his element, but the story structure works against him. Flashbacks are used to flesh out Stone's character and they disrupt the momentum. What was wrong with just showing what happened at the beginning of the film? Open with a flashback and you *still* have suspense, Sam.
The remaining technical credits are all aces. THE QUICK AND THE DEAD looks great.
BOTTOM LINE: Flat.
Grade: C+
-- Michael J. Legeros Raleigh, North Carolina
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