A good movie

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this flick but since I always had a weak spot for Paul Greengrass’s work and since this movie had been rather well received, I was quite eager to check it out. Well, to be honest, I took me a while to get into this movie and I guess it mostly had to with the fact that the plot was actually really generic and predictable. And, yet, it still managed to grab me at some point. Indeed, even if it wasn’t the darkest Western I have seen, the tone was still quite sad and I think that’s why the two main characters eventually bonded, not necessarily because they were kind to one and another but because they shared a deep sorrow. What made this even more interesting was that their pain and sorrow actually echoed the pain and sorrow experienced by the whole nation at the time including the Indians, the settlers, the black slaves, the Civil war veterans and the South in general. In my opinion, these two characters were fairly well developed and even though it was obvious the kid needed the captain to move forward, he also needed her to be able to face his past. Eventually, the whole thing did end on a hopeful note but I think it also echoed how, in spite of a very rough start, the USA as a nation still became a world leader, whether you like it or not. In fact, it was apparently the first movie Greengrass made with a happy ending and it was a conscious choice from the director. Anyway, to conclude, even if the story was maybe generic, it was still a decent watch and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre.