merklekranz Some might describe "Into the Badlands" as a surreal tale of the Old West. I on the other hand would call the film a sleep inducing waste of talent and time. Sure Bruce Dern looks convincing as a bounty hunter, in his black duster and specs. Even the music is interesting and appropriate. Everything else is not good. It begins and ends with the story, which is disjointed and talky. The first part involves a gunslinger talking and talking with barroom whore Helen Hunt. The second is something about Mariel Hemingway talking and talking to a frontier neighbor before some unexplained wolves show up. Dern reappears in the final sequence killing a wanted baddie and then dragging his rotting body around the desert for the rest of the film. - MERK

Woodyanders Determined and resolute bounty hunter T.L. Barston (marvelously played with spot-on sardonic verve by Bruce Dern) relentlessly tracks outlaw Red Roundtree (mangy Michael J. Metzger) across a desolate and godforsaken dessert. Barston encounters a diverse array of desperate people during his travels. First, most eerie and affecting tale, "The Streets of Laredo" - Rugged roving gunslinger McComas (a fine portrayal by Dylan McDermott) stops off in a dreary mudhole town and falls for sickly and melancholy saloon gal Blossom (a sound and moving performance by Helen Hunt). Meanwhile, the vengeful Sheriff Aaron Starett (the always on the money Andrew Robinson) closes in on McComas. Second and most harrowing story, "The Time of the Wolves" - Tough Alma Heusser (a credible Mariel Hemmingway) and high-strung Sarah Carstairs (a nicely neurotic turn by Lisa Pelikan) find themselves trapped in a cabin during a fierce snow storm that's besieged by a pack of savage wolves. This vignette benefits greatly from the edgy chemistry between the two leads and offers a good deal of nerve-jangling tension. Third and most enjoyable yarn, "The Last Belt" - Barston finally bags Roundtree, but has a difficult time keeping his corpse so he can collect the hefty bounty placed on Red's head. This particular segment adroitly mines a wickedly amusing line in inspired pitch-black gallows humor. Director Sam Pillsbury, working from a crafty script by Dick Beebe, Marjorie David, and Gordon Dawson, handles the macabre material with tremendous gritty style and assurance, maintains a properly dark and grim tone throughout, makes the most out of the bleak and dusty New Mexico locations, presents a believably grimy and downbeat evocation of the 19th century period setting, and delivers several startling moments of shockingly sadistic violence. Dern does a terrific job of holding the whole picture together. Both Johnny E. Jensen's slick, yet grungy cinematography and John Debney's twangy'n'harmonic score are up to par. A real sleeper.

ulht1 Unfortunately I have only - at this point - seen the last 35 minutes of this film but based on that it is undoubtedly the finest spaghetti western ever made - or the best not done to be funny parody of one. cinematographer, director , make-up and sets duplicated the look and feel of the Italian films, threw in some marvelous Felliniesque and neo-realism, as done the in the late 40's /early 50's, and made New Mexico pass beautifully as the plains/deserts of Spain. Have to have this in my collection!!! (Just in case, yes I know it is an American made film.) That is the only important thing that needs to be said about the film but read on if you must . Bruce Dern gives a quite interesting version of his bad guy persona (though he is the good guy) and the only flaw I personally found in the 35 minutes was in a bar scene where Dern has pulled back his coat to show an obviously well used gun and he stops when a bad guy shows he is holding a shotgun - by the barrel with the stock on the floor. Sorry guys (writing problem) from that position any halfway decent gunman could take out the shotgunner and at least one person of normal ability without concern. Ah well - it stretched the action a little!.

TheUnknown837-1 Which is perhaps the most memorable quote in this movie. Into the Badlands is a fun, and very unique Western. The first of its kind I've ever seen. All across the screen are faces that we all know. Bruce Dern, Mariel Hemmingway, Helen Hunt, and Dylan McDermott. All of them helped add to the neatness of this Western motion picture. Bruce Dern, playing a bounty hunter named T.L. Barston, is perhaps my favorite out of the cast. And after that, Dylan McDermott as a fugitive named McComas is my favorite. Both of them did a very fine job in their roles, especially Bruce Dern. He just did it perfectly. Into the Badlands is a very unique, yet entertaining Western, and one I wouldn't mind viewing again.