- Actors: Colin Farrell, Scott Caan, Ali Larter, Gabriel Macht, Gregory Smith
- Directors: Les Mayfield
- Writers: John Rogers, Roderick Taylor
- Producers: Art Schaeffer, Bill Gerber, David C. Robinson, James G. Robinson, Jonathan A. Zimbert
- Format: Dolby, NTSC
- Language: English
- Number of tapes: 1
- MPAA Rating:
- Studio: Warner
- VHS Release Date: May 6 2003
- Run Time: 94 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00005QWAI
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #11,091 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon.com
If you're looking for a showcase for emerging Hollywood talent, American Outlaws is just the ticket. Its handsome young stars, playing Jesse and Frank James and gang, crack wise as if they were in a contemporary high school locker room. Combining authentic costumes and sets with stunt work befitting a Jackie Chan comedy, accompanied by an "Old West" soundtrack that's anything but old and only marginally Western, the film yields a few enjoyable highlights. Seasoned genre buffs, however, will cringe at the movie's clash of visual qualities, as well as the dialogue, which, while not as heinous as that in Maverick, is on par with Young Guns in terms of non-period flavor. It's not exactly a testament to the enduring potential of the authentic Western that was realized by Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, made barely a decade before.
With all the light-hearted action and character interplay, it's hard to tell if director Les Mayfield (Flubber) is taking the material seriously, but this much is certain: the Jesse James here (played with effortless appeal by Tigerland newcomer Colin Farrell) and his brother Frank (Gabriel Macht) have almost no connection to historical fact. Nor do their fellow farm-raised gang members, the Younger brothers Cole (Scott Caan), Bob (Will McCormack), and Jim (Gregory Smith). (And Jesse's fiancée, played by Ali Larter, looks like she dropped in from a Gap commercial.) The gang's post-Civil War battle against a ruthless railroad baron (Harris Yulin) and his Pinkerton henchman (Timothy Dalton) seems arbitrary, irrational (since farmers typically welcomed railroads, not fought them), and riddled with clichés, turning the movie's bloodless shootouts into another opportunity for pretty-boy preening. --Jeff Shannon
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Most helpful customer reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Okay, if you can get past the modern accents and dumb girl,
By Anely Brown "Anely" (California) - See all my reviews
This review is from: American Outlaws (Widescreen) (DVD)
The action scenes in this movie are GREAT. I can get past all the other stupid stuff in this movie just to watch those. I think they should have cut out the part where they come back home and chat with all their friends because that just slows down the movie, but once you get past all that, the movie just keeps you jumping in your seat. Yes, the actors' lines are kind of dumb in some parts (only SOME parts!!) and Ali Larter is not the best actress, and sometimes Colin Farrell forgets he's not supposed to be Irish in this movie and Scott Caan still sounds too much like he's not out of high school yet- but hey it's not all that bad. There's a good plot and lots of humour and good fight scenes. If you're not a super overly critical and picky person you'll find yourself a decent movie that's entertaining and has a good ending. The Special Features are great. They give you a lot of inside info into the making which is always a treat to watch after seeing a good movie. Go for it!
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars
BAD, VERY BAD,
By
This review is from: American Outlaws (Widescreen) (DVD)
Can somebody believe those baby face actors, look like tough cowboys? I've always seen men playing cowboys in films, not smooth-faced teens. And who had the idea to put a rap in a western movie? If Colin Farrel wants to be a good actor he musn't accept these characters, and Scott Caan is very far from be that good actor his father is. And Ali LArter? She looks like a Barbie in cowgirl disguise, it takes more than a pretty face and whipped cream bikini to be a good actress. Keeo your money in your pocket and buy one of those good old western movies, you'll see good actors and good movies with good plots. Not this nonsense.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Jesse James in Florida!!?? Come On!,
By
This review is from: American Outlaws (Widescreen) (DVD)
......I can get past certain anomalies, such as Ma James dying in the Pinkerton attack & Jessie & Frank serving together in the Rebel army. In the extras the director justifies diverting from established myth by claiming that no one knows for sure what really happened. Really? Some details may be arguable but it is fairly established that Jesse was murdered in his home and the Younger brothers spent much of their last years in prison.......Having said that, the first half, even two thirds of the movie is quite entertaining. Forget the ridiculous unreality of the war scenes & the bank shoot-outs. Far too much attention is paid to the arguing over who was the leader and what the name of the gang should be, though it did provide some comic relief. Less worthy was Bob Younger's insistence on getting more recognition on the wanted posters, even in those days outlaws would surely want to keep a low profile. Maybe the "good will" they were supposedly creating with the locals in order to hide from Pinkerton justified that a bit, there is some suggestion the gang did engage in publicity & self promotion. ......Totally off the rails to have Jesse & Zee flee to Florida & get married. And then Pinkerton catches him & is taking him to Washington for a "fair" trial. And then Zee & the Youngers rescue him from the train!!! Please!!! Pinkerton advising him to go to Tennessee as he would have no interest in pursuit there as the railroad has no interest there. Suspending belief is one thing, going crackers is another. .......Not a bad way to spend 90 minutes, amusing, some good action, but never, never, even close to a definitive Jesse James story. Much better movies have been made, this one is almost a waste of the budget.
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