Slow to develop and lack of energy shoots down Jane Got a Gun, a wannabe action western with a stellar cast. The film has a few attributes including some very nice cinematography and a decent performance by Joel Edgerton who offers a nice character with shades of Clint Eastwood. But, it’s not enough to save the predictable storyline and copycat scripted scenes that have been overused even as recent as the 2014 movie Salvation. Now available on Blu-ray and DVD.
Its 1871 New Mexico territory and we find Jane Hammond (Natalie Portman) living in a small house backed up to a mountain in the wastelands. She tells a bedtime story to her 5 year-old daughter Kate as daylight turns into late evening. The next scene we find Bill (Noah Emmerich), her husband, riding up to the homestead shot several time in the chest. Jane helps him into the house where he tells her that the Bishop Boys will be coming to get him. With her life and her daughter’s in peril, Jane sets out to find her ex-fiancee Dan Frost (Joel Edgerton) to help her defend against the notorious John Bishop (Ewan McGregor).
The film wanders from there using flashbacks to fill in the characters and their reasons for being involved in the story. While the backstory is certainly necessary, it’s a bit trite, turns a good start into a predictable drama and may add a little confusion to some. That said, Jane’s reasons why she’s adamant about taking the shooting of her husband into her own hands gets justified.
The energy that does develop fairly well in the beginning slows down and finally dissipates completely toward the finale. Add to this the insipid characterization of Jane by Portman (who I loved in Leon the Professional and The Black Swan) that makes her role too staid and finally boring. She’s not mad enough to make her scenes urgent. If someone’s husband came riding in nearly dead I would expect his wife to be agitated and a little out of control. When she comes face-to-face with the murderous John Bishop, you would think her character would be a lot more apprehensive and then show some fright, but no. (Part of the problem in the scene, however comes from the placid performance by Ewan McGregor. He gives Portman a very offhanded non-provoking character with which to work). Throughout the film and up to when Jane’s back is literally to the wall there’s very little attitude or personality change.
On the flipside Joel Edgerton (Warrior, The Gift) gives us a believable role as the fiancée who went to war and found his intended married to another man upon his return. He’s upset with her choice, yet cannot give up hope for a possible re-connection. Thus he’s living ten miles away from her in his own little shack on a New Mexican dirt mound. When Jane comes for help he doesn’t want anything to do with her, but you can see in his eyes it’s more of a tongue lashing that has built up inside. Edgerton actually gives some reason to see the film, beyond the cinematography.
Jane Got a Gun has been rated R by the MPAA for violence and some language. The violence gets very graphic and disturbing at one point, so you may want to watch the film before deciding to allow immature teens to view it.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A slow moving, lackluster and predictable western. (D)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, Noah Emmerich, Ewan McGregor, Rodrigo Santoro, Maisie McMaster, Alex Manette, Todd Stashwick, and James Burnett,
Directed by: Gavin O’Connor
MPAA Rating: R for violence and some language
Genre: Drama, Action, Western
Running Time: 1 hr. 38 min.
Original Theatrical Release Date: January 29, 2016
Video Release Date: April 26, 2016
Language: English
Reviewed Format: Blu-ray (also available on DVD)
Audio: DTSHD-MA 5.1
Video: Widescreen, Aspect ratio 2.40:1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Number of Discs: 1 Disc plus Digital HD Ultraviolet
Distributed by: Anchor Bay
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
