Hickok (2017)

Better Late Then Never

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Lazy, terrible script, one dimentional characters, flat and boring. Exactly the same kind of stupidity yyou find in series like CSI and similar garbage.

Students of history know the legend of James Butler Hickok was highly fictionalized in the dime novels of his era; however, this film goes so far beyond fiction that the title and titled character could have been called Wild Bill Pisspot and no one would be any wiser that the story was supposed to be about Hickok. The acting barely existent. Kris Kristofferson has kept his streak alive by being in yet another film in which displays absolutely no acting ability. As for Trace Atkins, he definitely shouldn't quit his singing career since it's something he's actually good at. I'm sure he's having fun dressing up and playing cowboy in the movies, but he does so at the cost of his dignity. He should consider firing his Hollywood agent and any posse of yes men who deceptively praise his performance, and face that fact acting talent he has not. Luke Hemsworth's performance is mediocre at best, but I believe it's entirely a result of an idiotic, unscreenworthy screenplay and lack of directing talent. I liked Bruce Dern as the kindly old drunken doctor, but the Director and Screenwriter did him a grave disservice by limiting his role and providing him dialogue that is far beneath his talent. I'll never forget the first time I saw Bruce Dern in a movie. It was 1972, I was 11 years old watching John Wayne and The Cowboys at the local movie house, and Bruce Dern simply scared the the hell out of me and my buddies when he threatened the little cowboy with the eyeglasses. For a long time afterward, we all but despised Dern. To making such a lasting and emotional impression on a generation of movie goers is the sign of an exceptional actor. As for the editing of this not so fine feature, once could only assume the job was given to the producer's young brother-in-law in order to just get his unreal Hollywood housewife to get the hell off his back about finding Junior a job in the movie business, because this film's editing is as choppy as it gets. To all the non-psychic investors out there who actually helped finance this F-class movie, I'm sure there are many more realist viewers out there who are thinking...."suckers!"

The movie starts with the Confederate army using a gatling gun and goes downhill from there. A few union commanders used their own money to purchase 12 of these guns. The US Army didn't officially buy any until 1866. The Confederates never had any. Then there's the problem with John Wesley Hardin. First of all, his alias was Wesley Clemmons, but the movie implies it was the other way around. And second, Hardin was never Hickok's deputy. Finally, the climatic battle between the villain and the hero. It happened on the street not in the saloon and only Poe was killed, except for a real deputy that Hickok shot on accident. I usually try to give Hollywood some leeway when it comes to historical accuracy, but this is just too much.

The best film I've seen done on Wild Bill Hickok is White Buffalo where Charles Bronson played the legendary frontier marshal. It was set at a different time and place during his life. This film Hickok is set at the beginning showing some of his Civil War service and the beginning of his time as marshal of Abilene.Unlike Wyatt Earp who rarely used his weapon and before the OK Corral business had only killed one man, Hickok was as fast as rumored and had a few kills listed to him. That's what is shown here. Luke Hemsworth who plays Hickok also carries a shotgun as most peace officers did. What counted was to make sure hit your target. He has quite the standoff with John Wesley Hardin who in real life never made it as far north as Kansas. He certainly wasn't Hickok's deputy. Hardin is played here by Kaiwi Lyman-Mesereau. The film moves at a tortoise pace attributable to some bad direction and the characters never engage you the way the cast in the Bronson film did. Having such veterans as Kris Kristofferson and Bruce Dern help a bit. But this is not the final cinematic word on Wild Bill Hickok.