The Outlaw Josey Wales and Pale Rider.
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Clint Eastwood stars the the eponymous outlaw. Yes, his character actually has a name this time! Josey Wales begins the movie leading a peaceful life as a farmer until his wife and son are killed by Union soldiers. He then join forces with Confederate guerrillas to hunt down the people who killed his family. Unfortunately, they are soon betrayed as Wales is forced to go on the run again with bounty hunters and Union soldiers on his tail. Along the way a ragtag bunch of misfits join him in his journey, much to his reluctance.
Another pretty good western from Clint Eastwood. As you would expect the movie racks up quite a impressive body count. Barely a minute goes by without somebody being shot. there are plentiful action scenes throughout, I only wish that they were a little more exciting.
This movie is also rather remarkable for its portrayal of the Native American characters. Instead of being generally voiceless, they were all fleshed out characters.
Three pointy hats.
Pale Rider
A drifter known only as Preacher (Clint Eastwood) rides into a small mining village. The villagers are under threat by LaHood, the proprietor of a powerful mining company that is trying to drive them off their land. After the Preacher takes care of LaHood's goons, he calls in a corrupt U.S. Marshal named Stockburn and his posse who has some sort of history with the Preacher.
Yet another enjoyable western from Eastwood (of course), but I enjoyed this one more than the previous movie. It was a little more lighthearted than the rather more darker movie. There isn't as much of a body count, but it is still pretty enjoyable. The preacher doesn't start killing people until the later half of the movie. Until then he is content to just give them a whupping.
This movie was a little similar to a previous Eastwood movie that I reviewed, High Plains Drifter. Both of these movie featured a nameless gunman who seemed to have supernatural powers.
Richard Kiel (Jaws from the James Bond movies) makes an appearance as one of LaHood's hulking goons. He earns himself a sledgehammer to the groin and goes turns over to the Preacher's side when LaHood's men try to assault a young girl.
Three and a half pointy hats.
This isn't the last western starring Clint Eastwood that I have on my schedule, there are plenty more yet to come.
Next time: Passenger 57