VIDEO CAPSULE: Tombstone (7/10)

[JoBlo]

Tombstone (1993)

Maybe my expectations were set a little too high for this film, as I had been hearing nothing but praise about it for years now, but overall, this film underwhelmed me quite some.

I thought the first hour of this western lagged and I REALLY didn't appreciate the whole "romance" angle between Wyatt Earp and that girl from CHINA BEACH. It felt so out of place! This is a guy's guy movie through and through, and the tepid love story just felt "added".

Thankfully, the second hour of this movie picked up quite a bit, and I dug most of the shootouts and most of all, I LOVED the performance given here by Val Kilmer! Wow, Doc Holliday ruled!!!!

I wonder if this performance was before he turned into an asshole in real life? /ubb/smile.gif

The film is also PACKED, and I mean packed with guy actors (see below), cool mustaches and slick long black coats. Woo-hoo!

Overall, I liked the film but I would've liked to have seen some of the first hour trimmed, and the romance taken out completely. What did you all think?

Stars: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Michael Biehn, Billy Bob Thornton, Jason Priestley, Michael Rooker, Thomas Haden Church, Billy Zane and even Frank Stallone. Charlton Heston was also thrown in as a cameo and Robert Mitchum as the narrator. Phew!

[R. P. McMurphy]

"I'm here, huckleberry..."

This film is suprisingly good. I like Kurt Russel, and I love Val kilmer, and you're right when you say Val's character Doc Holliday was major kick ass.

Favorite scene: Where everybody was at the bar, and Micheal Biehn (Reece from The Terminator) whips out his gun to try to intimidate The Doc (Kilmer). He does all these tricks and spins to get everybody cheering. Then when its Doc's turn, he gets out his whiskey shot glass and spins it around to mock Biehn. Funny as hell.

[SirReel]

All I have to say is Tombstone is 10-fold better than that stupid Costner flop Wyatt Earp. Val Kilmer's greatest roll I think, aside from his turn as Jim Morrison - and again, 10-fold better than Dennis Quaid's rendition of Doc in Wyatt Earp... 7/10 about sums it up perfectly for Tombstone.

[Brock Landers]

I come from another end of the spectrum... Dennis Quaid as Doc Holliday was WAY better than Val Kilmer's rendition... Quaid got completely into the role, even losing over 30lbs. for the character (and Quaid is not fat to begin with)...

I liked "Tombstone" better than "Wyatt Earp" mostly because Costner annoys me. They were both shot nearby each other in the same time period (1994)... and "Wyatt Earp" had to hold up production because of lack of supplies and costumes due to the "Tombstone" production buying them all up...

Some cool lines for Kilmer though...

Cowboy: Why, it's the drunk piano player. You're so drunk, you
can't hit nothin'. In fact, you're probably seeing double.
[Cowboy draws a knife, and Doc Holliday takes out a
second gun]
Doc Holliday: I have two guns, one for each of ya.

Doc Holliday: It seems poker's just not your game, Ike. I know:
let's have a spelling contest!
[cracks up laughing]

[Wyatt Earp has just found out that the devil in a play was
performed by a woman]
Wyatt Earp: Well, I'll be damned.
Doc Holliday: You may indeed, if you get lucky.

Doc Holliday: I have not yet begun to defile myself.

Doc Holliday: It's true, you are a good woman. Then again, you
may be the antichrist.

[halfanarcher]

It's been a couple of years since I've seen this one, but I remember that the love interest was out of place and dragged down the entire movie. Lots of stars (of the day) in the film indeed, but it really is a HOLLYWOOD WESTERN.

Speaking of Westerns, the genre has been sorely lacking. Besides Tombstone, Unforgiven, The Quick and The Dead and Dances With Wolves there wasn't anything else in the 90's.

Just watched Little Big Man for the umpteenth time the other day, now that's a Western.

[kerryanne]

I think of all westerns this is one of my favorites. Val Kilmer did a fantastic role as Doc Holiday.("Your no daisy Johnny, your no daisy at all") Kurt Russell did equally well as Wyatt Earp. It was action packed-(loved the gun fights, especially when Doc winks at one of the men to start the gun fight at the OK Corral.) I give this western a 9/10.

[Terminator]

I loved this movie. I've seen a version on tv with additional footage that wasn't in the theatrical release. Val Kilmer was a better Doc Holiday than Dennis Quaid, who was also the highlight of the other Wyatt Earp movie.

[mailkoff]

A few things....

It's unfair to compare Wyatt Earp and Tombstone. Wyatt Earp covers the whole life of the man, Tombstone just covers the events surrounding the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
Val Kilmer is definitely a bright spot, the best Doc Holliday ever in my estimation.
But, the script was so full of opportunistic catch phrases that I often find myself thinking that The Rock made some last minute script additions. Why does everyone act like huckleberry is a common word in somebody's vocabulary. Also the "no, no, no, NOOOO" utterance by Wyatt is incredibly poor.

[bigred760]

Of all the film adaptations of the Wyatt Earp legend (and I've seen a few), this has got to be my favorite. It's got some kickass action scenes, brilliant performances, great scenery, and a 2nd half that'll knock your socks off.

I'm finally relieved to see a telling of this story that doesn't end with the shootout at the OK Corral; it's been done too many times and this one decides to put it in the middle to start off the 2nd half that I've already described.

The one performance that stands out above all is that of Val Kilmer; he is superb as the sickly best friend to Wyatt Earp: Doc Holliday. He delivers his lines with charisma and style, every scene he's in you're wondering what quip he's going to come up with, and shows he can also draw a gun with the best of 'em. Also to note that Kurt Russell is great as the legendary lawman Wyatt Earp. You expect him not to take no crap from nobody, and well he doesn't. These two are joined by some other well known names that don't disappoint: Sam Elliott, Michael Biehn, Powers Booth, Bill Paxton, and even a cameo by an actor from the good ole days of John Wayne: Harry Carrey, Jr. as the ole sheriff.

The only problem I had with this movie was the fact that it was more of an action movie, than a western. The only that makes it a western is the time period and geography. As far as the usual mythologies of westerns of old (which I've come to know and love), it doesn't compare. But as far as an action movie, it does kick some ass.

8/10

[bigred760]

Just saw this movie again recently and was about to write a review for it in this forum; then I decided to search for it and lo and behold. :D

I still love this movie; Kurt Russel, Val Kilmer, and the rest of the stellar cast deliver great performance to an awesome action-packed western. Good times . . . good times.

[Le_Big_Mac]

It was decent for a neo-western and kind of captured the Hollywood western feel. The gunfights were good, if not derivative. Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday was definitely the film's highlight.