You get the feeling that somewhere underneath all that dust there was a good movie waiting to be made. This Walter Hill film is really nothing too exceptional, though. How in the world could any movie in which Bruce Willis fires so many rounds of ammunition lose 49 million dollars? The film uses the ancient story of a mysterious drifter waltzing into town and pitting himself between two rival gangs. This plot has been used in westerns, samurai films, you name it. This film takes place in a dusty west Texas town which seems to exist only for the purpose of being a midway point for bootlegging during Prohibition. Two gangs have an uneasy truce going when Willis drives into town and starts wreaking havoc. One gang is led by David Patrick Kelly, who is an old Walter Hill stand-by actor. The other is led by Ned Eisenberg. You may remember him as being the guy from Moving Violations who is really into horror films. Both gangs are incompetent, but at least Kelly has the services of Christopher Walken's savage character on his side. Willis predictably routes these gangs, or sets up scenarios where they can kill off each other.
The biggest problem with this film is its tone. Everyone is mean, depressed, or indifferent. Nobody is having any fun at all. Walter Hill is such a talented man. Hadn't he seen Willis in The Last Boy Scout? That film was also loaded with excessive violence, but it was at least FUN! Hill has given us 48 Hours and the Warriors. Those films also worked mainly because they didn't take themselves too seriously. Last Man Standing is all style and no grace.
The action of this film is also very easy to see coming. Does it take a genius to figure out that when the Mexican woman gives her necklace to Willis that it will be found on him later by Kelly's gang? Notice how they beat him senseless, then turn their backs long enough for him to crawl away! You have got to be kidding me! There is not one surprise along the way.
The location is dirty and desolate, but I found it somewhat beautiful. The music from Ry Cooder (whom Hill often uses) is very good and atmospheric. These little things make you wonder what a re-write could have done for the film.
I'll give it 5 of 10 stars. The Hound just hates to see a good director waste a good cast!!!!
The biggest problem with this film is its tone. Everyone is mean, depressed, or indifferent. Nobody is having any fun at all. Walter Hill is such a talented man. Hadn't he seen Willis in The Last Boy Scout? That film was also loaded with excessive violence, but it was at least FUN! Hill has given us 48 Hours and the Warriors. Those films also worked mainly because they didn't take themselves too seriously. Last Man Standing is all style and no grace.
The action of this film is also very easy to see coming. Does it take a genius to figure out that when the Mexican woman gives her necklace to Willis that it will be found on him later by Kelly's gang? Notice how they beat him senseless, then turn their backs long enough for him to crawl away! You have got to be kidding me! There is not one surprise along the way.
The location is dirty and desolate, but I found it somewhat beautiful. The music from Ry Cooder (whom Hill often uses) is very good and atmospheric. These little things make you wonder what a re-write could have done for the film.
I'll give it 5 of 10 stars. The Hound just hates to see a good director waste a good cast!!!!