The Highwaymen

I love these films - quiet slow melancholy, nostalgic reminiscing about the old days, and the sympathetic main characters and their interesting story. Everyone knows or guesses how it turns out, but it's not about the destination here - it's about the journey. The Highwaymen is, in short, a great “modern" western about two retired cowboys and their (last?) chore, and Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson literally shine in it (a big thanks to anyone who thought of putting these two together). The film keeps its distance from Bonnie and Clyde, but it's only to the benefit of the cause - they don't put as much attention on each other and act as a creeping, uncalculated evil (the closest we get to them is when Hamer and Gault get to them, but that's too late, of course), dangerous because of what they've already done and what they can do, and what celebrities they've become. There are a lot of question marks and exclamation marks throughout the clear and familiar story that still apply, and I get the impression that this is not only the best Netflix film I've seen so far, but one of the best films ever. I could watch the scene with Clyde's father over and over. (03/30/2019)

An atmospheric, non-action crime film set in the 1930s that bears a little resemblance to Untouchables and Public Enemies in terms of expression, but falls short in terms of direction, scene composition, escalating tension and action. Costner and Harrelson are the draws and their cynical duo is the highlight of the film. Unfortunately, the main villains are given woefully little space and everything around them is basically insufficient. Not great enough as a robust crime drama, OK as an intimate drama between two obsolete detectives, but the ambition was obviously higher. But Netflix can check it off the list anyway. (04/10/2019)

Netflix once again stumbled upon a good director and a solid premise. Add in the superb acting performance by Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson and you will think that a quality viewing experience is guaranteed. Too bad that given its two-and-a-half-hour running time, the film is very slow-paced, which in the second half of the movie becomes quite a hindrance. Anyhow, the premise is great. I liked it. It’s definitely worth watching. Several scenes are really wonderful, but cutting it short by an hour wouldn’t hurt. (04/18/2019)

A wholesome homage to westerns that revives classical traditions like its likeable heroes. Viewers hungry for shootouts and darkness won’t be satisfied, but the neglected fans of the kind of genre flicks that back in the day were created like on a treadmill should be elated. If you liked the recent Hell or High Water and don’t mind an even more sedentary approach, this should be the film for you. And although a deeper look into the psychology of the characters, giving them more original conflicts, and not relying so much on proven templates wouldn’t have hurt, I actually enjoyed the slightly generic concept, I felt good in the company of the heroes and at one point I had no problem accepting the pace and the ambitions. Costner and Harrelson, especially, are very good, and Hancock was a surprise. (04/01/2019)

An old-school classic. The film starts off slowly, trying to give viewers a closer look at the two main characters, which I consider important when you're going to spend a good amount of time with them. Some might find this pacing problematic, and I would understand that, but I quickly got used to this style. I guess I expected Bonnie and Clyde to get more screen time, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Otherwise, Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson were great; the scene with Woody in the bathroom was definitely a highlight of the film (a bit of a shame they hinted at it in the trailers). These actors have charisma to spare, which added credibility to their characters (though I still can’t shake the feeling that if the film had been made in the 80s with Newman and Redford, it would have been on a whole different level). The dialogue was excellent, and the atmosphere of the 1930s was palpable in every shot. Don’t expect much action; the film doesn’t try to be anything other than a solid drama. But strong moments do come, whether it’s the scene with the murdered policemen or the final showdown, which certainly wasn’t shy with the bullets. I recommend it, and also suggest reading up on the real Hamer and Gault. It’s worth it. I give the film 80%. (04/22/2019)