The Old West: As a kid, Marcus (Gavin Warren) had to witness his parents (Dawn Marie, Brick Patrick) being murdered before his very eyes by a quartet of outlaws (Ronnie Gene Blevins, Mike Markoff, Jonathan Peacy, Robert Jensen), before his very eyes, outlaws who also tried to slit the boy's throat. Marcus has spent the years since in an orphanage, which he has now outgrown (and is now played by Blaine Maye), but he has kept a pure soul, and one of the first things he does when on his own is save sweet and innocent Dulce (Sarah Cortez) from Vivian (Jacqueline Bisset) and Ned's (Dominic Monaghan) brothel. He then returns to his parents' ranch to find out it has since been (legally) obtained by gunslinger Dallas (Dermot Mulroney), Dallas sees something in the kid and takes him under his wing - which includes teaching him how to shoot. Then though, Marcus runs across one of his parents' killers (Mike Markoff) and shoots him dead, but not before finding out the whereabouts of his accomplices. But he soon must learn the road to vengeance is a rocky one, especially when you have a lawman (Grainger Hines) on your trail who doesn't believe in an eye for an eye. Apart from that, there's something else terribly off about the whole thing, too ...

For much of its running time, Long Shadows doesn't appear to be terribly original in its premise, it's pretty much a vendetta story - one of the key western formulas - spiced up with some coming-of-age flavour. But that said, the film is good at what it does, it's well executed and draws relatable characters with engaging arcs along the way, embodied by a very capable cast. It's only the third act that turns everything on its head, so much so that the film doesn't at all end in the expected shoot-out but a surprise reveal that makes the film hit all the harder for it. So, in all a powerful and ultimately unusual genre entry.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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