TEXAS RANGERS
US, 2001, 88 minutes, Colour.
Dylan Mc Dermott, Jason van der Beek, Ashton Kutcher, Robert Patrick, Alfred Molina, Tom Skerritt, Rachel Leigh Cook.
Directed by Steve Miner.
Texas Rangers was part of a movement towards re-establishing westerns at the beginning of the 21st century. Other films include the new portrait of the James brothers, American Outlaws, with Colin Farrell. This film is a star vehicle for Dawson Creek's Jason van der Beek. However, the strongest performance comes from Dylan Mc Dermott (of The Practice and many other films where he usually gives a more subdued performance). He is the founder of the Texas Rangers, a stern man, a former preacher, seemingly vigilante. However, he tries to uphold the laws of Texas while using military strategies to pursue bandits. Jason van der Beek portrays a young law student whose parents are killed by the chief bandit, Kingfisher (Alfred Molina) and becomes the secretary and then strategist and leader of the Rangers. Ashton Kutcher (Saturday Night Live, Dude Where's My Car, Just Married, My Boss's Daughter) is an eager young recruit. Robert Patrick is the stern sergeant, Tom Skerritt the veteran ranch owner, Rachel Leigh Cook a love interest for Kutcher.
The film was directed by Steve Miner who began films with one of the episodes of Friday the 13th as well as one of the Jaws sequels. He has directed a range of genres in his several decades career.
1. The popularity of westerns? The western tradition? Texas? The Texas Rangers? A version for the 21st century?
2. The Texas and Mexican locations, authentic, the mountains, the open spaces, the greenery? The Rio Grande? The musical score?
3. 1875, the Texas Rangers, the upheaval after the Civil War, Texas defeated, the threats continuing from Mexico, the bandits, the stealing of cattle, taking them to Mexico, the bandits and their indiscriminate slaughter?
4. Leander, the explanation of his background as a minister, in the Civil War, the aftermath, seeing him digging his own grave, Richard Dukes trying to bring him back to the Texas Rangers? His accepting the commission? The confrontation with Kingfisher? His getting the troops, the meeting with Lincoln, with George and the other recruits? Lincoln and his failure at shooting? His using Lincoln as his secretary, dictating the reports and the memoirs? His training of the men, taking them out, his judgment about the attack, the irony of Kingfisher having his men in reserve, the slaughter? His confiding to Lincoln that he had made a disastrous decision? Going back, getting more men? The plan of strategy, estimating what Kingfisher would do, going to the Dukes ranch? The information from the captured Spanish girl, her being left alive while the others were all hanged? His realising too late that she was a plant, the return to the Dukes ranch, the slaughter there? The pursuit, the girl and her pleading for her life, his letting her go but exiling her? Dukes's death? The strategy of attacking during the night, the bandits and the aftermath of drinking and merrymaking? The fight, the confrontation with Kingfisher, Lincoln saving his life? The victory, the defeat of the bandits, his death? His final will and testament - leaving his books of strategy to Lincoln and for Lincoln to lead the Rangers? A portrait of a stern man, the law, justice, vigilante, revenge, principles?
5. Lincoln, the legal background, Philadelphia, seeing his parents shot in the marketplace? His signing up, not wanting revenge, but to do the right thing? The friendship with George? Shooting practice? The other recruits? His going on the first mission, the disastrous defeat, Leander confiding in him? His secretarial work? His attraction towards the girl at the Dukes farm, George being the one that she liked? His trying to mislead her? The bath sequence? His going on the attack, realising that the Mexican woman had lied? His protecting her life? His suggestion for the attack, its success, the confrontation with Kingfisher and his shooting him after ducking and using a strategy? The return, his leading the Rangers?
6. George, his background, eagerness, shooting? His work with the Rangers? His attraction towards the girl? Trying to prove he was a gunslinger? The companionship with Lincoln? The other recruits, the leader? The young men, their being slaughtered? The sergeant, his role with the group, loyalty to Leander, the attraction towards the Mexican woman, his being deceived by her?
7. Sam and his stammering, ingratiating himself with the group, his skill at shooting? His talking to Lincoln about maps, Lincoln taking him to Leander, the false stammer, his attempt at shooting Leander, his own death? Lincoln blaming himself, wanting to leave, Leander telling him that he would be pursued if he left because he would have stolen the equipment?
8. Richard Dukes, his bringing Leander back, his work at the ranch, his family, the meals, the atmosphere? The raid, the killings, his being taken, being hanged?
9. Kingfisher, his men, the auction in the town, the taking of the cattle, his shooting indiscriminately and with pleasure? The confrontations with Leander and the Texas Rangers? With the circus man and the tiger, taking the woman, using her as a plant to deceive the rangers? His men, the fort, the attack, his arrogance, his death? The different men, their being attacked, the two that were to be hanged speaking in Spanish but Lincoln understanding them and Leander killing them?
10. American history, the 19th century, the lawlessness of the west, Texas and the Civil War, demoralised after the war, the bandits, the building up of the cattle industry, the role of the Texas Rangers and their achievement in bringing some law and order to Texas?
