Grizzled tough guy Danny Trejo again makes the most out of a lead role in this largely routine action / supernatural thriller / Western. Danny plays Guerrero de la Cruz, leader of an outlaw gang. He and his mates learn of the existence of a big potential score in gold, waiting in the town of Edendale. The main problem is, Danny's half-brother Red Cavanaugh (Anthony Michael Hall) is even more despicable; he and the rest of the gang betray Guerrero after the heist and gun him down. But while being tortured in Hell, Guerrero makes a deal with the Devil (Mickey Rourke, not looking too well): bring six fresh souls to Satan by killing the other gang members. But Guerrero has only 24 hours to pull this off.
Directed (and photographed) with gusto by Roel Reine, "Dead in Tombstone" is a fair example of this brand of entertainment. It allows you to put your brain in neutral while delivering a lively smorgasbord of violence. Here is a movie in which bodies don't just fly through the air when pummelled by bullets, they do acrobatics before landing in a heap on the ground. It's fairly gory at times, but even in unrated form, it might not be nasty enough for some tastes. The whole thing looks quite grim and grimy, and features a true rogues' gallery of disagreeable characters.
Hall actually does pretty well in the villain role, while Danny is suited to the part of a revenge-seeking badass who is absolutely no hero. That said, Guerrero does come to appreciate the assistance of townswoman Calathea (Dina Meyer), whose lawman husband (Daniel Lapaine) was a victim of the outlaws. Rourke is amusing portraying yet another screen incarnation of Old Scratch (he's billed in the credits as "The Blacksmith"). The supporting cast is nondescript but competent enough.
Fun to a degree, but overcome by familiarity, not to mention a camera that often won't stop moving.
Six out of 10.
Directed (and photographed) with gusto by Roel Reine, "Dead in Tombstone" is a fair example of this brand of entertainment. It allows you to put your brain in neutral while delivering a lively smorgasbord of violence. Here is a movie in which bodies don't just fly through the air when pummelled by bullets, they do acrobatics before landing in a heap on the ground. It's fairly gory at times, but even in unrated form, it might not be nasty enough for some tastes. The whole thing looks quite grim and grimy, and features a true rogues' gallery of disagreeable characters.
Hall actually does pretty well in the villain role, while Danny is suited to the part of a revenge-seeking badass who is absolutely no hero. That said, Guerrero does come to appreciate the assistance of townswoman Calathea (Dina Meyer), whose lawman husband (Daniel Lapaine) was a victim of the outlaws. Rourke is amusing portraying yet another screen incarnation of Old Scratch (he's billed in the credits as "The Blacksmith"). The supporting cast is nondescript but competent enough.
Fun to a degree, but overcome by familiarity, not to mention a camera that often won't stop moving.
Six out of 10.