Let's be honest, so much about this movie just screams Sam Raimi. From the wonderfully detailed production design and art direction, to Dante Spinotti's lush cinematography that emphasizes contrast between light and shadow; from Raimi's penchant for flair or even cheekiness in his direction and shot composition, to distinctly snappy quips or one-liners in the dialogue and otherwise tongue-in-cheek humor - it's no surprise at all that 'The quick and the dead' comes from the same filmmaker who gave us 'Army of darkness' and 'Spider-Man 2.' In fact, even as the picture clearly respects and pays homage to acclaimed Westerns of years past in almost every way - writing, direction, acting, technical craft - the length is flush with so much embellishment that one could reasonably argue there's at least as much style to the movie as there is substance. That approach isn't specifically a mark against this, but one can easily understand how it won't appeal to all viewers, and perhaps genre enthusiasts least of all.
All that sense of style is not for nothing, however; even taking the grandiose flourishes into account (and some very over the top effects), there's definite artistry and hard work poured into the production. The set design and decoration is frankly gorgeous, as is the costume design, and hair and makeup work. The props and weapons are most excellent, and I really do admire the attention put into lighting. Even in the most self-indulgent instances, Raimi plainly demonstrates his mastery of the medium. 'The quick and the dead' looks and sounds fantastic, including sharp editing and sequencing from Pietro Scalia, and the result of all this is a title that at its most vibrant moments is unexpectedly visceral and jolting.
True, it's not without flaws or shortcomings. Some of the camerawork is altogether overzealous, bordering on self-parody. Alan Silvestri is a very accomplished composer, but some of his themes feel a tad too bland, or imitative (e.g. There's no mistaking the cues taken from Holst's 'Mars, the bringer of war'). The movie plainly falters in some of the more quiet and/or purely dramatic moments, coming across as overdone or ham-handed. And the narrative as a whole feels a smidgen on the light side, and predictable to some degree. In fairness, the story is built more as a vehicle for the action than as a standalone tale, but in assessing the value of the feature, it's nonetheless a noteworthy weakness.
Yet though some aspects can be distracting at points, there's still much worthy strength here. Simon Moore's screenplay isn't perfect, but at the same time, one wonders just how much of the writing can be chalked up to the rewrites that the studio accordingly forced. The scene writing is far stronger than not, fashioning all the thrills and fun one could ask for, especially at the pointedly fierce climax. Even where it's imperfect, becoming overwrought in one way or another, the fundamental beats are very well considered. And while there's not significant depth to the characters, each are written with splendid personality that lets them all stand apart. With that, too, the large, impressive cast is given swell opportunity to make the most of their parts and shine in what time they're given. Above all, Sharon Stone is delightfully hard-boiled as protagonist Ellen, and Gene Hackman is clearly having a blast as cold, condescending, menacing Herod.
To some extent I feel like we don't get quite as much gunslinger action as I'd have liked, but after all, this is just one component of the movie. When all is said and done this isn't essential, and I wouldn't say one should go out of their way for it, but it's suitably fun if you come across it. 'The quick and the dead' is a smart, stylized take on westerns that even at its most overbearing is entertaining, and so long as you don't mind the added flair, it's a fine way to pass a couple hours.
All that sense of style is not for nothing, however; even taking the grandiose flourishes into account (and some very over the top effects), there's definite artistry and hard work poured into the production. The set design and decoration is frankly gorgeous, as is the costume design, and hair and makeup work. The props and weapons are most excellent, and I really do admire the attention put into lighting. Even in the most self-indulgent instances, Raimi plainly demonstrates his mastery of the medium. 'The quick and the dead' looks and sounds fantastic, including sharp editing and sequencing from Pietro Scalia, and the result of all this is a title that at its most vibrant moments is unexpectedly visceral and jolting.
True, it's not without flaws or shortcomings. Some of the camerawork is altogether overzealous, bordering on self-parody. Alan Silvestri is a very accomplished composer, but some of his themes feel a tad too bland, or imitative (e.g. There's no mistaking the cues taken from Holst's 'Mars, the bringer of war'). The movie plainly falters in some of the more quiet and/or purely dramatic moments, coming across as overdone or ham-handed. And the narrative as a whole feels a smidgen on the light side, and predictable to some degree. In fairness, the story is built more as a vehicle for the action than as a standalone tale, but in assessing the value of the feature, it's nonetheless a noteworthy weakness.
Yet though some aspects can be distracting at points, there's still much worthy strength here. Simon Moore's screenplay isn't perfect, but at the same time, one wonders just how much of the writing can be chalked up to the rewrites that the studio accordingly forced. The scene writing is far stronger than not, fashioning all the thrills and fun one could ask for, especially at the pointedly fierce climax. Even where it's imperfect, becoming overwrought in one way or another, the fundamental beats are very well considered. And while there's not significant depth to the characters, each are written with splendid personality that lets them all stand apart. With that, too, the large, impressive cast is given swell opportunity to make the most of their parts and shine in what time they're given. Above all, Sharon Stone is delightfully hard-boiled as protagonist Ellen, and Gene Hackman is clearly having a blast as cold, condescending, menacing Herod.
To some extent I feel like we don't get quite as much gunslinger action as I'd have liked, but after all, this is just one component of the movie. When all is said and done this isn't essential, and I wouldn't say one should go out of their way for it, but it's suitably fun if you come across it. 'The quick and the dead' is a smart, stylized take on westerns that even at its most overbearing is entertaining, and so long as you don't mind the added flair, it's a fine way to pass a couple hours.