zardoz-13 "Hard Ground" is a predictable, but atmospheric, made-for-television, turn-of-the-century oater that co-stars Burt Reynolds and Bruce Dern. This passable low-budget western takes place on the trail with our venerable leads pursuing a homicidal maniac who is as treacherous as a sidewinder. Villainous Billy Bucklin (television thespian David Figlioli) and his best friend Floyd (Martin Kove of "The Karate Kid") hold up an army payroll, kill the escort, head south, and try to assemble an army in Mexico. Former bounty hunter John 'Chill' McKay (Burt Reynolds of "Hooper") and Sheriff Hutch Hutchinson (Bruce Dern of "Nebraska") are brothers-in-law. McKay married Hutch's sister. McKay is riding in a tumbleweed wagon to serve time in Yuma with the obnoxious Bucklin when the latter's henchmen ambush the prison wagon. Floyd gets the keys off the dead guard and releases Bucklin. McKay refuses to join him these desperadoes. Meantime, McKay's son Joshua (Seth Peterson of "Godzilla") hits the trail to track down Bucklin's gang. He corners two of them at the remote trading post and kills them. This is probably as cool as this western gets. Joshua trudges into the place with his saddle in his arms complaining about his stove-in horse. Bucklin's two gun hands see it as an opportunity to kill Joshua, but he surprises them. He has used the saddle to hide his six-gun, and he plugs both of them. He runs into a beleaguered woman, Elizabeth Kennedy (Amy Jo Johnson of "Tiger Eyes"), who eventually follows them with a shotgun. Ultimately, our heroes confront Bucklin and his men and shoot it out. As often as the men try to run off Elizabeth, she provides more resourceful than they imagined. Predictably, during the finale, Bucklin takes Elizabeth hostage and threatens to kill not only her but also Joshua. Burt Reynolds and Bruce Dern ride side by side throughout this sage-brusher instead of popping up in cameos. David Figlioli makes a tolerable villain. Director Fred C. Dobbs—what a name considering "The Treasure of Sierra Madre"—invokes the credo of "The Wild Bunch" and several other 1960s and 1970s horse operas about men out of time and place. Strictly routine all around with bland desert scenery, "Hard Ground" qualifies as more gritty than memorable. Technically, the hardware is all correct, and Burt cuts a trim figure in his western apparel. Martin Kove is okay, too. Although several men are shot and killed, this Hallmark western isn't blood-splattered stuff.

merklekranz Here we have two fine actors and that's about it. Burt Reynolds and Bruce Dern are back in the saddle, and given nothing to work with. The villain, David Figlioli, is a cartoon-like character. The script appears to have no direction, as it wanders all over the place, leaving the viewer with questions that are explained along the way only to expand the running time. But by far the biggest negative in "Hard Ground" is the total miscasting of Amy Jo Johnson. Instead of looking, sounding, or acting like a frontier woman, she comes across as if she just stepped out of a designer jeans commercial. Whenever she is on screen, she drags the movie right down to the mat. What you are left with is some nice location photography, and Reynolds and Dern struggling mightily to keep things from falling apart completely. - MERK

faithnomore70 I just bought this movie very cheap..I don't write many reviews...but i'll go for another try.I was at least expecting an average & entertaining movie. The movie is not good, and I don't understand the high/average rating on this board, even though there is only a few voters so far, it doesn't even come close to the result of the movie, which is very disappointing. Understand that everyone has the right, to have different taste in movies...but here it goes..The movie is poorly done. When it comes to acting, it seems kind of wooden or stiff, in this flick. Even for the legendary actors Reynolds & Dern. As for the lesser known actors, they seem mis-casted. Especially the young girl, who through-out the movie seems too pure, when you think about the dusty environment. Her acting was way too obvious, but not in the talented kind of way. The guy who played the main badguy, was so annoying and kept overacting his part. Martin kove's performance was kind of laughable, which i'm sure he (personally) was aware of. He had a silly accent and a "special" voice. Also the young the young guy, who protects the girl i the beginnin, reminded a bit of paul walker but his acting was worse.The music was poorly composed, and seemed to be too much in the background. There was also a lack of dynamic during the action scenes. Sometimes, I thought it sounded like a keyboard(synth) either way, it was only helping the movie, to reach the bottom of no-quality.The script made the movie kind of predictable, very stereo-type kind of characters etc.

Terryfan I rented this movie because Burt Reynolds is one of my favorite Actors and Amy Jo Johnson is one of my favorite Actress.To me this is one of the best movie I have seen in a long, long, time.The story was great, the acting was great, and the action was great.I thought the cast of the movie did a great job with this movie, There was a little bit of everything in this movie.Burt Reynold, Bruce Dern, and Amy Jo Johnson were the best choices for the lead roles in Hard Ground.I love this movie for just being a great western.I don't care about movies that are "best pictures", "Best Actor" "Best Actress", "Greatest movie ever"!, and so-onI just want to watch a movie that have the cast doing their best to put on a good movie.In my opinion, If the Actors and Actress are doing a great job in the movie, they done their job, I just want to enjoy a movie and be glad that I watch that movie.My favorite line in Hard Ground was when John McKay (Burt Reynolds), Nate Hutchinson (Bruce Dern), And Elizabeth 'Liz' Kennedy (Amy Jo Johnson) were riding in the desert and John and Nate got into a agrument, Elizabeth said "You two are darn fools!, Agruing over what right and what's not, There a man (John McKay's Son Play by Seth Peterson) waiting for his ken to do the right thing, family have you got, you understand family, Thank God that you got one".The main idea of Hard Ground: John McKay (Burt Reynolds) is going to prison for a crime his doesn't do, But when Billy Bucklin (David Figlioli) and a few others escape, John refuse to help Billy. So, Nate Hutchinson (Bruce Dern) makes a deal with John McKay, Nate will get John's freedom back if he help him find Billy, Billy's gang then attack Elizabeth 'Liz' Kennedy's (Amy Jo Johnson) family. So she join John and Nate In Their Scearh for Billy to avenge her family.All in all a great movie that I going to buy on DVD.I give Hard Ground 9 out of 10.Check Hard Ground Out.