This is just a good old-fashioned traditional western with all the expected twists and turns and no particular surprises. And that's just fine. So it's formulaic; so what? All 100+ of Haydn's symphonies are formulaic, and they're all masterpieces. All the standard issues of script, action, direction and camera work are executed in a workmanlike and effective manner, and the story keeps you involved. One issue for me is the relatively unknown cast, aside from Willem Dafoe, who does his usual fine work. My quibble is with Christoph Waltz, who I've never seen before. To me his voice and persona just don't seem to befit the character. Another minor detail is the color scheme, which is tilted a bit too much toward sepia (a trick from The Godfather). But on the whole this is an enjoyable hour and 3/4.
Review of Dead for a Dollar
