Running time: 107 minutes (Young Guns), 104 minutes (Young Guns II)
Certificate: 18 (Young Guns), 12 (Young Guns II)
Language: English
Screenplay: John Fusco
Director: Christopher Cain (Young Guns), Geoff Murphy (Young Guns II)
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Keifer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Charlie Sheen, Dermot Mulroney, Casey Siemaszko, Terence Stamp, Jack Palance, Alice Carter, Christian Slater, William Petersen, Alan Ruck, R.D. Call, James Coburn, Balthazar Getty, Viggo Mortensen, Leon Rippy
Billy the Kid: liked to shoot stuff. |
They were just so cool. Having that Brat Pack sensibility applied to the western, America's most classic and self-identifying genre was a beautiful touch, and made for a hugely enjoyable couple of films. Each character is played with such relish, the cast are obviously having the time of their lives, riding horses and shooting guns. Pretty much everything about these films rested on Emilio Estevez as Billy the Kid, and he gives the part such a manic energy, you begin to doubt his sanity.
The Regulators, regulating. |
Revisiting the films recently, I could see the 80s sensibility as clear as day, and in no way could they ever hope to compare to the magnificence of the classic John Ford westerns, but, then again, that isn't was it was ever trying to do, and they are as much fun as they ever were. The drug-trance scene from Young Guns remains one of the funniest scenes I think I've ever seen ("Did you guys see the size of that chicken?"). Both films are peppered with cheesy but memorable and ever-quotable dialogue – “Hello Bob! (Shoots Bob) Goodbye Bob!”
"Yoohoo! I'll make you famous!" |
Not exactly high art, but still cracking good fun.
Score:
Young Guns: 7/10
Young Guns II: Blaze of Glory: 7/10
It seems I may be viewing these movies through rose-tinted nostalgia specs, judging by this review of Young Guns by Alex at The Guardian and this one of the sequel by Andrew at The Stop Button, not to mention Empire's thoughts on them: Young Guns & Young Guns II.
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