There’s nothing fashionably reflexive or revisionist about Ed Harris’ well-told tale of two lawmen with their own brand of frontier justice. The actor’s second directorial effort after Pollock, Appaloosa is a western plain and simple. Of course, like the best examples of the genre, it’s not so simple at all, equipped as it is with big themes about love and loyalty, a memorable array of characters who don't play to expectations and a narrative that’s especially hearty and satisfying when compared to the runny gruel that passes for storytelling in contemporary Hollywood filmmaking.
The graceful rapport between Harris and Viggo Mortensen as Virgil and Everett is a pleasure to behold. They are veteran gunmen who make a living by assisting whichever side suits them, though that's usually the law-abiding one. In this case, they have been enlisted by the titular town to foil a gang of murderous ruffians led by Bragg (Jeremy Irons), a smooth-tongued villain and aspiring land baron. Virgil’s all-business attitude softens when he meets Allison (Renee Zellweger), a seemingly classy lady who turns out to have her own set of survival skills. Comfortable with letting Virgil be the alpha dog, Everett must make some grave decisions in order to protect them both when things don't turn out as they’d anticipated.
Displaying great confidence in the material — which he adapted with Robert Knott from the book by Robert B. Parker, a writer better known for his crime novels — Harris knows not to rush matters. He is also remarkably generous when it comes to giving his castmates the room they need. The biggest surprise here is Zellweger, who keeps the cutesy face-crinkling to a minimum. Though the film’s modest ambitions and pre-Unforgiven — hell, pre-Peckinpah — sensibility may leave some viewers lusting for a little more mayhem, Appaloosa’s unhurried pace and old-fashioned sense of decorum allow for its many virtues to shine through.
