minguy

How did the original end?

Artman

Oh snap I think I did see it in digital as well... I kept thinking how crisp and clear everything looked.

Solid film, unfortunately I was having a hard time staying awake, so I didn't enjoy it as much as I could've.... but looking forward to watching it again on Blu-Ray. I also didn't care for the cameo... but everything else was pretty top notch. It was more low-key than I was expcecting, but still good.

dpz301

got to the theater to see this today and really enjoyed. i thought bale and crowe gave great performances and they made for an exciting feature. although i didn't see the org. picture, so i don't know how it ended, i liked the end of this one, even though it was sad.

FinkPish

The original ends with

Trevor

Interesting little story, I'll tell the short version.

Friend of mine, just a regular Joe who I used to play football with, ended up going to an extra casting call in this area a few years back. Ended up getting a few parts, even got some background screen time in a couple things. Does it maybe once a year.

Gets a call last week, they like his look so he goes back for a costume fitting. A couple days later goes in for the filming. It turns out to be his most involved part ever. No lines yet, but he actually spends all day on set with one of the principals, chatting and snacking, real nice guy he says. He even gets direction on his scenes from the actual director of the film, the scene involves unspoken interaction between him and the principal, and at least one close up of his face was shot. Going back today for more shooting.

The director? Ridley Scott. The principal? Russell Crowe.

Maxflier

That lucky mofo

B5Erik

I saw this yesterday and I liked it quite a bit.

But I hated how they changed the ending. It makes the whole movie a little pointless by ending it that way. They remained so faithful to the original that they stole about 20% of the dialogue! I just don't get why, if they were going to be that faithful to the original, why they changed the ending!

I watched the original again last night, and was amazed at just how much of the original script they put in the new version.

I like the new version better overall, but I like the original ending better.

Giantrobo

Saw this last night and I must say, I've been really enjoying Westerns they've made over the last few years. I'm also realizing that I really like Crowe in period films like this and Master and Commander. Seeing Gretchen Mol and Peter Fonda in this film was great and I kinda wished they both had bigger roles but what are you gonna do. Bale is "the man" to me so I loved his performance and what his character was trying to do and why he was doing it.

DRG

I really enjoyed this film, but for me the third act was actually a bit of a let down. It's like they built up the odds against Bale's character so much they had no choice but to go with a sort of deus ex machina situation crossed with almost comic-book action. It was fun, but sort of a betrayal to the smooth tension and build up of the first 2/3.

cdollaz

I didn't care for the end very much.

Legolas

Even though Crowe and Bale were awesome, I have to wonder how the Tom Cruise/Erica Bana casting would've changed this movie.

Giggles

After I watched it I was a bit amazed about all the positive reviews I had read before. I didn't find anything particular to like in this film. Ben Foster was the only thing that kept me glued to the screen.

Kudama

I loved this.

Question for anyone who has read Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle: Did Ben Wade not remind you of Half Cocked Jack Shaftoe? I just couldn't shake the similarity.

Loved it.

Kudama

For me ...I don't know. The script was so strong but the leads were too. It probably would have been good, but not awesome (as it was).

Kudama

ba-bump!!!

fumanstan

I'm pretty sure your last 2 posts already did that.

Kudama

Technically...your's did.

,,,Wait. Mine does. Awesome movie, though.

Original Desmond

I am so not a western fan but this was a damm good movie

Crowe and Bale were great together and had really good chemistry

Action was great though at times unrealistic but still it's a western !

I was rivetted throughout the whole movie

RichC2

Yeah, it's a very solid action movie even if you don't like westerns.

I found the ending a bit silly (changing is fine, but it went a little overboard imo) but still wholly recommend it.

hardercore

Just saw this ... A solid movie in it's own respect, it didn't live up to my expectations. Alot of the action seemed like it was thrown in there just to make sure people didn't fall asleep, and you would hope Mangold would have more respect for the audience than that. The pacing was uneven, and the ending plain unbelieveable. But the film had high production values and great acting going for it, so it would be a sort of muted recommendation from me.

kantonburg

This was a fantastic film. Much better than I expected.

Calculon

Christian Bale's criteria for accepting a script:

1. 1st 85%: excellent potentially award-winning material
2. Final 15%: a ludicrous ending that nearly ruins everything that came before it

See: Batman Begins, The Prestige, 3:10 to Yuma (and some might include American Psycho as well)

matrixrok9

Just wondering why Crowe's character shot all of his men at the end? Before the final shootout, he could have told his goons that he wanted to go to jail. But he ran with Bale like he was trying to run away from them.

Still a good movie. Loved the cinematography and the characters.

PopcornTreeCt

Yikes, at least Bale wasn't in Sunshine. Seriously, the endings to all those films are either good or great especially American Psycho.

kantonburg

My guess is he didn't want to lose his cred. Then when Bale's character was shot he just shot his goons out of anger. Then held up his bargain so Bale's family would get the money the one guy promised if Crowe went to jail. He knew he could escape just as he did before.