Open Range

THE FLICK: As the Western stops and starts its way to a comeback of sorts, a new generation of filmmakers look to put their brand on the genre. Kevin Costner has a head start, having appeared in three previous outings (“Silverado, Dances With Wolves & Wyatt Earp) with varying degrees of success. And it’s obvious that the myth of the Western hero holds a particular appeal for him both as an actor and director. “Open Range” is an undisguised tribute to the men of the frontier – those who traded the comforts of civilization for a life of simple freedoms. But when those freedoms are threatened, as they are in the film by a monopolistic cattle baron who objects to freegrazers Charlie (Costner) and Boss Stegg (Robert Duvall) on his land, the true nature of Man comes into question. For the Charlie the question is, can 10 years of living at peace with himself erase a lifetime of killing? If that sounds a bit like “Unforgiven,” you’re right. But where Eastwood’s film was a nihilistic ode to a twice-fallen man, Costner sees things through perpetually rose-colored glasses. His story and his characters are straightforward caricatures of a literary West – the kind of dime-store books that made legends out of Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hickock. The simplicity works in a purely visual sense. “Open Range” is full of the stunning vistas and endless horizons that can only exist in a sentimentalist’s daydream (or in Canada, where the film was shot). And as a director, Costner proves he can still strap on the spurs and deliver a great-looking movie. But the story, which also includes a latter-day love affair between Costner and soon-to-be-spinster Annette Bening, shoots itself in the foot with overly sappy dialogue and a historical hokiness that Costner emphasizes with sun-dappled scenery. So ennobled are the main players (and so despicable the bad guys) that even John Wayne might have longed for a tad more subtlety. THE FEATURES: “Beyond Open Range” is an hour-long video journal made up of interviews and on-set footage before, during and after the shooting process. Costner is pretty open (his distress over the film’s funding has him dropping the “F” bomb from time to time) and allows for an honest look at the tribulations he had getting his vision on screen. “America’s Open Range” is a 12-minute Ken Burns-style documentary narrated by Costner. Historical photographs and voice-overs details the life of early Western settlers and the daily grind of a cowpoke. Well done, but leaves you wanting more. Maybe if I give to PBS next year... 30 minutes worth of deleted scenes are individually introduced by the director and consist mostly of extended dialogue that was dropped for pacing reasons. Although we do see the bartender get it in the back from the head bad guy. A “Storyboard Featurette,” music video montage, and running commentary from Costner (who, despite an obvious high opinion of the film, manages to stick on topic quite well) round out a nice package of DVD extras. FINAL SCORE: “Open Range” has an innocence that makes it easy to criticize. But it’s such a rare occasion to see a Western respectfully brought to the screen, the faults aren’t fatal. Ron Howard’s “The Missing” does a better job of providing pure genre entertainment, while Costner’s camera is fonder of sunsets than shootouts.