Western is a movie genre that isn't as big as it once was, except probably for Tarantino's DJANGO UNCHAINED and THE HATEFUL EIGHT. And yet, there are still some filmmakers mostly indipendent that do them with often good results, and FORSAKEN is one of them.
When the story begins John Henry Clayton (Kiefer Sutherland) returns home to his father Reverend Samuel Clayton (Donald Sutherland) after 10 years of estrangement because Samuel is ashamed of his son's exploits following his time in the Civil War, and Samuel warns John Henry that his mother died during those years. Father and son go to town: they meet gang leader James McCurdy (Brian Cox) and John Henry will meet former lover Mary Alice Watson (Demi Moore) that is now married and has a son. Again at home father and son argue about the lack of faith considering his son's past in the Civil War
McCurdy's gang joins forces with Dave Turner known as the Gentleman (Michael Wincott) for making folks leave their farms. In the meanwhile John Henry will finally attend his dad's church service but leaves after Mary Alice's husband Tom Watson asks him to deny he loves Mary Alice. After the mass is over John Henry goes to his dad and reveals that during the civil war he shot a boy and it's still haunted by the memory and Samuel comforts him. Soon after a gunfight ensues, and it will end with John Henry shooting McCurdy to his death and after that John Henry and Turner part ways peacefully. Soon John Henry warns his father that he has to leave for avoiding that bounty hunters and challengers come in town but he will visit him sometimes.
The main reason for seeing this is not because it's a western but the acting. Yes, Donald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland already acted together in MAX DUGAN RETURNS and A TIME TO KILL but in those they didn't shared scenes. Here it's the only time they acted as father and son and they were great. Cox and Wincott played some of their best villanious roles and Moore is super stunning as always... what more can you ask?
Mostly recommended for western fans but you'd end up liking it for the acting by the Sutherlands and also the moral lessons that manage to convince the viewer without being too preachy, and that is the most important thing.
When the story begins John Henry Clayton (Kiefer Sutherland) returns home to his father Reverend Samuel Clayton (Donald Sutherland) after 10 years of estrangement because Samuel is ashamed of his son's exploits following his time in the Civil War, and Samuel warns John Henry that his mother died during those years. Father and son go to town: they meet gang leader James McCurdy (Brian Cox) and John Henry will meet former lover Mary Alice Watson (Demi Moore) that is now married and has a son. Again at home father and son argue about the lack of faith considering his son's past in the Civil War
McCurdy's gang joins forces with Dave Turner known as the Gentleman (Michael Wincott) for making folks leave their farms. In the meanwhile John Henry will finally attend his dad's church service but leaves after Mary Alice's husband Tom Watson asks him to deny he loves Mary Alice. After the mass is over John Henry goes to his dad and reveals that during the civil war he shot a boy and it's still haunted by the memory and Samuel comforts him. Soon after a gunfight ensues, and it will end with John Henry shooting McCurdy to his death and after that John Henry and Turner part ways peacefully. Soon John Henry warns his father that he has to leave for avoiding that bounty hunters and challengers come in town but he will visit him sometimes.
The main reason for seeing this is not because it's a western but the acting. Yes, Donald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland already acted together in MAX DUGAN RETURNS and A TIME TO KILL but in those they didn't shared scenes. Here it's the only time they acted as father and son and they were great. Cox and Wincott played some of their best villanious roles and Moore is super stunning as always... what more can you ask?
Mostly recommended for western fans but you'd end up liking it for the acting by the Sutherlands and also the moral lessons that manage to convince the viewer without being too preachy, and that is the most important thing.