The true story of how lawman Wyatt Earp and his deputies saved
the town of Tombstone from a gang of outlaws called the Cowboys. BIOPIC/WESTERN
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Tombstone (1993)Directed by George P. Cosmatos
Written by Kevin Jarre Starring Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn, Stephen Lang, Dana Delany, Thomas Haden Church, Michael Rooker, Jon Tenney, Jason Priestly, Charlton Heston, Harry Carey Jr., Terry O'Quinn |
Wyatt Earp is the most famous U.S. marshal of all time. His name even rings a bell for people who know nothing about the Old West. He was a champion of the law who took it upon himself to save the town of Tombstone from the outlaws who murdered his brother and terrorized the townsfolk. Led by exciting performances from Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer, Tombstone is a contagiously fun western romp with a loaded cast and a brilliant script. Any movie that brings together so many character actors for a story about a real-life western hero is a winner in my book.
Kurt Russell kills it as Wyatt Earp, the famous hero who tries to retire but is forced back into the life of a lawman by the vicious Cowboys. Alongside him is show-stealer Val Kilmer as Earp's best friend Doc Holliday, the card shark with no fear of death. In his brief time as a movie star, Val Kilmer proved he had the talent to be great but his ego got in the way. His role as Holliday is quite possibly his best performance. He dominates every scene he's in and is clearly enjoying himself in the role. Veteran character actor Powers Boothe plays the leader of the Cowboys, Curly Bill Brocius, while 80's sci-fi hero Michael Biehn plays his psychotic partner Johnny Ringo. They both do a stellar job as villainous foils for Wyatt and Doc, but the rest of the cast is just as phenomenal. I knew this early 90's western was going to be good and I'm glad I finally took the time to check it out. It's got one of the best ensembles in the western genre and has since become a cult classic. It's the definitive Wyatt Earp biopic of the 1990's, easily beating Kevin Costner's self-indulgent snoozefest. Every western fan on the planet will love Tombstone. Hell, odds are they do already and I was just late to the game. |