Being the first major Billy the Kid movie for a long time this western certainly hit me with a surprise. The western genre is my least favourite genre. I get bored quite easily with a western affair but The Kid made me reconsider a few things.
Ethan Hawke, Dane DeHaan and Chris Pratt are free to cause havoc in this unflinchingly brutal adventure. Violence is aplenty and Dane DeHaan put in one of his best performances that I’ve seen on screen as Billy the Kid. Pratt unfortunately doesn’t have many scenes but it’s nice to see him out of his usual ‘good guy’ role.
Ethan Hawke plays the sheriff hunting Billy down and with this and the soon to be released The Captor, he has taken summer by storm with two stellar acting showcases.
The Kid is a slow burn in places that gears up for a rootin, tootin, all out shooting sequence.
This variety in pace makes the film a very topsy and turvy affair but also adds to the plots tension. Gripping tight one minute and slowly relinquishing the next. It’s a rollercoaster journey for sure.
Director Vincent D’Onofrio takes the star players down to bit-part players in The Kid. The main star of the show is Rio (Jake Schur). This is Schurs first acting role and being surrounded by Hollywood elite doesn’t seem to phase him.
Rio is a young man dragged along on Billy the Kids whirlwind adventure of evading capture and evading the death penalty. A friendship eventually ensues and it’s highly engaging and wonderful to witness. Billy’s loud, bold, cocky and lean attitude seems to have a soft spot towards Rio and his wellbeing and serves as his protector throughout despite his own fate being all but sealed.
The Kid may not be everyone’s cup of tea but D’Onofrio has made an engaging Western film and for me that slate of films is rare. Character is a key focus of The Kid and the end result is a truly satisfying work of art.
The landscape and cinematography of western landscapes is nothing short of breathtaking. Well worth a watch!
Review by Sean Evans
Summary
A tense and gripping western adventure, The Kid is a rootin, tootin, shooting good time and Ethan Hawke and Dane DeHaan really shine in this western adventure. Well worth a watch!
