they don't make westerns like they use too

It was really cool to see Nicolas Cage in a western. He looked great and played the interesting hero/villain part so well. I really liked Ryan Kiera Armstrong’s character and performance as well. She and Nic were great together.

Set in the Wild West, Colton Briggs (Nicolas Cage) is a skilled gunslinger. During a criminal hanging, a shootout occurs, and Colton shoots and guns down various men. However, one man’s death after being shot down by Colton’s quick draw was witnessed by his son, who is left alone feeling sad, angry, and filled with a vengeance. Twenty years have passed, and Colton is now a family man living with his wife, Ruth (Kerry Knuppe), and their young daughter, Brooke (Ryan Kiera Armstrong). Ruth asks Colton to walk his daughter to school before he opens his local store for another day of great trade. However, when Colton and Brooke arrive at school, they find it closed due to a sick teacher. Colton has no choice but to let his daughter go with him for a day's work. However, while Colton and his daughter continue about their day, Ruth gets a visitor from a stranger who isn’t travelling alone. The stranger makes his intentions clear, saying he has unfinished business with Colton and seeks revenge for his father’s death which occurred twenty years ago. When Colton receives word of the unexpected visitor, something awakens inside of him, and he is suddenly seeking vengeance as well. The Old Way is best described as a gritty revenge tale. The Western is heavy on the concept of revenge, and the pacing here plods along, especially in the first act, which does take a while to get on its way. The music is ok, but it’s also baffling. The score, at times, is loud and uplifting but unfitting for this kind of revenge tale and feels more suited to an upbeat family feature or an adventure. Performance-wise, who wouldn’t love to see Cage in a cowboy hat with a taste for revenge? But sadly, he is a weaker link here. There are moments we can appreciate Cage in, such as his delivery of monologues or how his character remains calm and focused during a gunfight. No fundamental character transformation occurs for Colton, making him seem dull for the vast majority. Actress Ryan Kiera Armstrong gives a more pleasing performance, and her character changes dramatically when an element of revenge is birthed in her for the first time. Everything surrounding the bad guys is forgettable, and the dialogue focuses on bickering, arguments, disagreements, and praising how dangerous Colton is. Costume work here is generally fine, but everyone in this film looks rather clean. As a western, it seems odd that everyone is covered in makeup, looking overly glamorous. Overall, those who love Westerns will be excited to see the legendary actor Nicholas Cage wear a cowboy hat and carry a slick gun in his holster. However, The Old Way is a slow burn, and it also takes a long time to get going. With a simple storyline and a highly familiar revenge tale, the film offers very little that’s new or overly exciting. Dialogue delivery from Nicolas Cage doesn’t work well here, apart from his monologues. The icing on the cake sadly relates to the finale, which is very predictable and lacks a remarkable and lasting impact as the credits roll. * This review has been written for Sanity. For more reviews from Walkden Entertainment, check out the link here: www.walkdenentertainment.com