The Highwaymen

Nice but bland, The Highwaymen is a safe bet. Any hopes of originality for this version of the famous story die in the first third with the clichéd exposition of the main characters. And the rest of the movie does nothing to counter this assumption. But it’s not boring - Costner and Harrelson hold the movie together with their performances and Costner’s talk with Bonnie’s dad (William Sadler) goes deeper. The final shootout wasn’t all that hair-raising in real life, so the movie cannot have the epic climax that a flick in this genre needs. (04/17/2019)

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)

After Triple Frontier, Netflix pulls another ace from its sleeve, a macho western/gangster flick set in the 1930s, where the excellent Texas Ranger duo of Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson are hot on the heels of the legendary Bonnie and Clyde. John Lee Hancock perfectly captures the feel of 1930's American South (the costumes, the cars and the guns a thing of beauty) and it's safe to say he gave the two stars a chance for a solid comeback, as they both do an excellent job. In terms of direction, acting, visuals and atmosphere, the film is flawless, the only issue may be the slower pace, but I had a decent time throughout. The highlights are definitely Costner purchasing a gun, Woody's solo in the bathroom, the bandit story and the final carnage. "Clyde might be the king, but I am a Texas Ranger! You little shit!" 80% (04/02/2019)

Really genuine “too old for this shit" classical, old school, Western in a long time. And the fact that it takes place in 1930s when the economic crisis is in full swing and the cars are covering endless distances instead of horses, doesn´t change it at all. Slowly (I really mean very slowly) flowing, based on the central duo, beautifully captured and played. It's openly “McCarthy's" style, that´s for sure. In other words, it´s seemingly “only" genre movie with melancholic ambiance that is hard to resist. Its captivating (non) pace will either put you to sleep reliably or enchant you completely. (03/29/2019)

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)