Forsaken
starring Kiefer Sutherland, Donald Sutherland, Brian Cox, Michael Wincott and Demi Moore
written by Brad Mirman
directed by Jon Cassar
Rating: ♦♦♦♦◊
Called “Wild Gun” in Japan (not a bad name for it), this is a Western drama set in 1872. After abandoning his guns and reputation as a quick-draw killer, John Henry Clayton (Kiefer Sutherland) returns to his hometown in hopes of repairing his relationship with his estranged father (Donald Sutherland). John Henry left to fight in the Civil War and got distracted in the aftermath. When he comes home (to a cold reception from his pacifist, Christian pastor father) he finds his mother dead, his girlfriend married to another man, his father angry at him, and a local gang terrorizing the town. The usual stuff.
James McCurdy (Brian Cox) is trying to force local farmers off their land in anticipation of big profits when the railroad arrives. John Henry is the only one in town disposed to stop him. He doesn’t want to, but after incredible restraint, and with sufficient provocation he takes up his guns again and kills everyone in sight, like Clint Eastwood does as William Munny in Greely’s Saloon in Unforgiven (1992).
I rented and watched this movie because I wanted to watch father-and-son actors Donald and Kiefer Sutherland working together. They were okay. I think I was prejudicially preoccupied by the fact that they are father and son.