Rating of
2/4
Plain Jane
Leslie - wrote on 08/27/16
"Jane Got a Gun" is not a bomb but it’s not the western I was hoping to see. The draw of seeing a woman in the lead role in this type of film isn’t enough to overcome a somewhat weak storyline. There are also some annoying, needless lines in the movie. Take for instance when Jane Hammond (Natalie Portman) and her hired gun Dan Frost (Joel Edgerton) take her outlaw husband Bill “Ham” Hammond (Noah Emmerich) down into the cellar when John Bishop’s (Ewan McGregor) gang show up hell bent on killing the three of them. Dan puts a gun in Ham’s hand and says, “Anybody ain’t us opens that door, you gotta start shooting.” This happens literally sixty seconds after Ham has already killed one of John Bishop’s men while bedridden.
Still "Jane Got a Gun" is worth seeing for the scenery. The story takes place in New Mexico and the movie is loaded with impressive views of mountainous terrain, buttes, billowy clouds and awe inspiring sunsets. There is a scene that occurs just after the title card of the film is displayed which pays homage to the last shot of "The Searchers," and it really is a nice touch. Portman is most convincing in the visceral scene when she learns the fate of her daughter Mary, and is pretty kick ass with her Walker firearm.
