Plot: What’s it about?
Wild Bill Hickok (Jeff Bridges) has lived the life of a legend, but it seems as though his time has passed. Although he is still a feared gunslinger, his reputation is less impressive than it once was and his own inner demons haunt him. He has a lover in the form of Calamity Jane (Ellen Barkin), but even as much as she loves him, he is unable to return the affection, because of a lost love in his past. He has never been able to move on and as such, he has been vulnerable and that weakness grows with each moment that passes. As he battles that issue, he also struggles with his poor eyesight and addiction to opium, both of which have slowed him down more than a little. In other words, this is a bad time to make an enemy, but Bill has someone hunting him down, in Jack McCall (David Arquette). McCall blames Hickok for ruining his mother’s life and promises to kill him, no matter what that takes. While that might have been a tall order in the past, Hickok now faces so much turmoil, he might not have what it takes to win this final battle.
I like this movie a lot and always have fun when I watch it, but there isn’t much in terms of substance. Unlike many of these historical character pieces, Wild Bill never tries to help us understand the man, but instead shows us the events from a distance. So if you want answers or insight, this is not the kind of movie you’re looking for, but it is fun and well made. I happen to like westerns though, so I can pleased sometimes with just some shootouts and good performances. I do wish the characters were explored a little more, but in the end, the basics come across and that seems to be enough. I like the production design here also, which adds a lot to the film’s atmosphere and that enhances the whole experience. The cast is also good and includes such names as Jeff Bridges, Ellen Barkin, Christina Applegate, David Arquette, and Bruce Dern. I recommend this release to those interested, but don’t expect more than an entertaining and worthwhile picture.
I think this one goes off course at times, but I still think the direction of Walter Hill is interesting, to say the least. I don’t think I would call his work here good or bad, but I think he makes some unique choices on both sides of the coin. On the bad side, Hill never pulls all the elements together or pushes them onto the same path, which gives the film a loose and disconnected texture. The character development is weak at times, the storyline wobbles, and lots of loose ties emerge, which push me toward a negative assessment of Hill’s work. But then he delivers when the action heats up and supplies some terrific moments, which makes me reconsider. But in the end, I think his work is average, with some moments on just either side of that status. Other films directed by Hill include The Long Riders, Brewster’s Millions, Supernova, Last Man Standing, and The Warriors. The cast here includes Jeff Bridges (The Contender, The Big Lebowski), Ellen Barkin (Drop Dead Gorgeous, Switch), Christina Applegate (The Big Hit, Jaws of Satan), John Hurt (Contact, Lost Souls), and David Arquette (Ready To Rumble, R.P.M.).
Video: How does it look?
Wild Bill is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This film was made in 1995 and as such, I had expected a clean and sharp visual presentation here, but I wasn’t satisfied with this edition. The film uses some tints and such to enhance the tone and those come across well, but the rest of the image is too grainy and overly dark, which is a let down to be sure. The scenes with solid contrast balance have too much grain and when the grain is minimal, the screen is too dark and detail is obscured. A few good scenes do surface, but not enough to save this one from being knocked a full point. By no means is this unwatchable, but for such a recent movie, it should have looked much better than this.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a western, so lots of gunfights and horse hooves are present, all of which come across well in this mix. The included Dolby Digital 5.1 track offers a good experience, but isn’t as active as more action driven pictures would be. But the track handles all the needs, which is what I suppose counts in the end. The rootin’ tootin’ sound effects are well presented and the music is terrific, so you’ll feel right in the middle of all the action here. I heard no problems with dialogue either, as vocals were crisp and sharp, never hindered in the least by volume balance flaws. This disc also contains stereo surround track and subtitles in Spanish & French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes the film’s theatrical trailer.
