Appaloosa

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Appaloosa

R

2008

1h 56m

Western

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

163 Reviews

55%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and his longtime friend and partner Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) travel the 1880s Southwest, bringing justice to lawless towns desperate enough to hire them. In the mining town of Appaloosa, malevolent rancher Randall Bragg and his cronies ride roughshod over the frightened citizens. As Cole and Hitch work to end Bragg's reign of terror, an unconventional widow (Renee Zellweger) arrives, complicating the job and threatening their bond.

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Critics Consensus

A traditional genre western, Appaloosa sets itself apart with smart psychology, an intriguing love triangle, and good chemistry between the leads.

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David Stratton

At the Movies (Australia)

03/13/2009

3.5/5

True, the film is a little long, and it loses momentum at one stage, but generally speaking this is a most enjoyable return to what was once the cinema's most popular genre.

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

03/06/2009

3/5

Brush away the dust and you'll find a sense of nostalgia and romanticism about lost American values and altered social hierarchies.

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Todd McCarthy

Variety

10/03/2008

Dialogue, much of it lifted straight from Parker's novel, proves mostly engaging.

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Diego Batlle

Otroscines.com

Jun 29

3.5/5

It's a film that doesn't lend itself to overly enthusiastic adjectives, but terms like "noble" and "enjoyable" fit it quite well. [Full review in Spanish]

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

04/02/2024

3/4

Appaloosa bridges the gap between the old-fashioned Westerns from Hollywood’s distant past and the revisionist oaters that have been in vogue for the last half-century.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

03/20/2024

3/4

The film tells an undemanding story, with heroes and villains well-defined, simple even, but described with enough personality to keep them fascinating.

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Conrad C

@sosopoptart 5d

This movie is in the vein of the old westerns, so much so that I was surprised to find out it wasn't a remake. Some of the characters, especially the female ones, are written a little one-dimensionally. Viggo Mortenson's role does not disappoint though.

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Oaklee D

@ODie63 Aug 6

An emotionally gripping western tale.

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Chris B

@Papa13070 Jun 1

Appaloosa is a great classic western tale of friendship, love, trust and politics in the Wild West. There is a good story in Appaloosa and it doesn't just involve fast lines and faster guns like most westerns. In fact, there is little gun-slinging at all and the few fight sequences are short and more realistic than you would find in your typical Hollywood film of late which may turn off some viewers. Fortunately, this film is more about the characters and the journey that they take in knowing each other and themselves and who is trust worthy and who is not. The cast is great for the most part especially Viggo Mortensen as the silent but deadly comrade to Ed Harris's character. The interaction between these two alone makes the film worth watching. Appaloosa is a solid western and an enjoyable film that should be watched for the story - not the gun-slinging.

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Jason W.

@JasTheAce Apr 22

I like good westerns… there’s a reason it took me so long to watch this….cause it’s mediocre. I love the actors but the plot was well blah. A gunslinger that carries a big 8 guage over his shoulder constantly??? There’s a reason why this soundly be practical in a real gun fight.

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Nicholas t

@nicktalbert2025 Jan 4

Best westerns movie

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Doug H

@doughughes Dec 28

A truly great western right down to the sounds and visuals. Very well done with an amazing cast. I've been watching westerns since I was a kid and this one is in my Top 10.

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Ed Harris

Director

Ed Harris

Virgil Cole

Viggo Mortensen

Everett Hitch

Renée Zellweger

Alison French

Jeremy Irons

Randall Bragg

Timothy Spall

Phil Olson

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Synopsis

Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and his longtime friend and partner Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) travel the 1880s Southwest, bringing justice to lawless towns desperate enough to hire them. In the mining town of Appaloosa, malevolent rancher Randall Bragg and his cronies ride roughshod over the frightened citizens. As Cole and Hitch work to end Bragg's reign of terror, an unconventional widow (Renee Zellweger) arrives, complicating the job and threatening their bond.

Director: Ed Harris
Producer: Robert Knott, Ed Harris, Ginger Sledge
Screenwriter: Robert Knott, Ed Harris
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: New Line Cinema, Groundswell Productions
Rating: R (Some Violence|Language)
Genre: Western, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 3, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 2, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $20.2M
Runtime: 1h 56m

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