Rating of
4/4
I'm your Huckleberry!!!
mdtinney - wrote on 05/22/09
Tombstone is a 1993 Western movie written by Kevin Jarre and directed by its star Kurt Russell. The film, which boasts an ensemble cast, involves Wyatt Earp and his brothers moving to Tombstone, Arizona where they and Doc Holliday face off against a band of criminals called the Cowboys. The movie is loosely based on historic incidents occurring in 1881-1882.Tombstone is a thrill ride with feeling, a good enough script, inspiring music and one of the best casts ever assembled in motion pictures. Kurt Russell plays the sensitive Wyatt Earp. Val Kilmer is the movie's life force with a snitty peformance as the homicidal Doc Holliday. The rest of the cast is deep, with even the bit roles manned by people like Billy Zane, Thomas Haden Church, Michael Rooker and Jason Priestley. Sam Elliott is great in everything that I've seen him in and his gruffness helps steady the movie until the end resolution. Dana Delaney plays the free spirit. The villains are loaded with Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn and Stephen Lang. Even Moses, himself, Charleton Heston makes a cameo. The script is relatively wide open, which is a no-brainer with the talent onhand. What the script has is a nice sense of timing, set up and pacing. The music is dynamic and is really moving, especially in times of trouble. The movie is also pretty historically accurate in many places and doesn't mutilate the concept too badly overall. Earp is the movie's crusader, Holliday and Ringo play the cosmic dance. Watch this movie for it's passion. This movie laves Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp in the dust. A must see at #16 on my Top Movie List.
