Nicolas Cage scholars might quibble with the promotional claim that Brett Donowho’s “The Old Way” is the actor’s “first traditional Western” — a choice of words that’s careful not to step on the spurs of neo-genre fare like “Butcher’s Crossing” and “Prisoners of the Ghostland” — butThe first part of the problem is that Donowho’s competent but uncompelling oater doesn’t have enough fresh meat on its bones to fill out its Western cosplay.
While Morgan Smith’s jaunty score does its best to summon memories of “My Darling Clementine,” and Carl W.
Lucas’ threadbare script channels the same one-way modernity that “Shane” once rode towards an uncertain sunset, “The Old Way” clearly lacks the ambition to shoot for any identity of its own.Even worse is that it gestures towards one anyway, as this low-budget genre exercise allows its characters just enough ammunition for us to
Read full article