Young Guns II (1990)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Blistering performances.

Unnecessary glamorizing iof Billy the Kid. But interesting cast and to see how they developed careers afterwards. I'd give the nod to Sutherland for his TV leads, but Mortenson may be a more established "movie" actor. Phillips is very busy. Estevez has faded and wasn't really good in the YG movies either. Young Guns 2 1990 28 years later: Kiefer Sutherland 1966 101 credits, Designated Survivor, 24, Viggo Mortenson 1958, 57 credits, LOTR, HoV, William Petersen 1953 40 credits, CSI Lou Diamond Phillips 1962 136 credits, Christian Slater 1969 123 credits, Emilio Estevez 1962 47 credits, Mighty Ducks Alan Ruck 1956 108 credits,

Young Guns 2 (1990): Dir: Geoff Murphy / Cast: Emilio Estivez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christian Slater, William Petersen: Decent sequel examining the life of Billy the Kid while never revealing the source of his survival. He narrates the film explaining his escape from the law and regrouping with his gang. They head for the boarder with Pat Garrett closing in on them. Structured with several gunfights well filmed by Geoff Murphy who previously made the futuristic The Quiet Earth. Emilio Estivez reprises his role as the Kid with crazy comical daring. Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips return as gang members who eventually have a dispute that concludes with Phillips holding his arm out stretched offering Sutherland back his embedded knife. Christian Slater is added to the cast as a journalist out to discover the truth behind the Kid's existence as well as try to visualize what it must have been like. William Petersen plays Pat Garrett who is tasked with taking down Billy the Kid and his gang of outlaws. Entertaining sequel full of gun fire highlighted with Bon Jovi theme Blaze of Glory. One could say that the film is out to answer questions but since Billy's mortality isn't explained then that pretty much defeats the purpose. Otherwise this is a flawed but well produced entertaining sequel that sparks humour and old fashion western gunfights. Score: 6 / 10

The first "Young guns" movie was hardly a classic , but definitely a good movie worth watching. It was aimed at MTV teenagers and quite a refreshing take on western. It also made enough money back in the 80's (when western movies weren't really popular) for studio to make a sequel. The audience like the simple revenge story and charm of the young stars of that movie.This movie lacks solid story. The first one had a good motivation for our heroes – revenge. Here they are running and arguing between each other , but the whole movie lacks a hook. The conflict between Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid is too thin to keep the viewer interested. The movie seems to more like a collection of short scenes (sometimes good ones) instead of well written story. "Young guns 2" doesn't go anywhere from the beginning to the end. I also didn't care if the story of Roberts was real or not.The movie is also rather awfully directed by Geoff Murphy. The pacing is dreadful. The whole movie feels like it's 3 hours long , despite a rather normal running time. It makes the movie hard to watch and boring on re-watch. The movie lacks the freshness of the original."Young guns 2" is mainly concentrated on Emilio Estevez ("Stakeout") , who is walking the thin line of being likable and annoying here. Kiefer Sutherland ("The lost boys") and Lou Diamond Philips ("Stand and deliver") don't really have much to play. The newcomers – Christian Slater ("True romance") , William Petersen ("To live and die in LA") and James Coburn ("Iron cross") aren't really interesting.The music by Alan Silvestri is nice and the movie has some nice scenes, jokes and dialogues. The songs by Jon Bon Jovi are good too ("Blaze of glory" anyone ?). It doesn't change the fact that this is a very forced sequel made without any idea for good story. I give it 3/10.

This is the sequel to successful film titled 'Young Guns'(1998 , by Christopher Cain) with similar players and concerning about Billy and his band heading toward the Old Mexico and pursued by a posse. Revisionist and contemporary study about William Bonney, alias Billy the Kid . Billy(Emilio Estevez) became a cowboy in Lincoln County (New Mexico) for cattleman Tunstall allied to Chisum (James Coburn) , but Tunstall is killed and started the Lincoln County war against Murphy as main enemy . Billy seeks revenge for his death and he converted an outlaw and nasty gunfighter with a price on his head . Then Billy along with a young group (Kiefer Sutherland, Christian Slater, Lou Diamond Phillips , Balthazar Getty) have their own ethic codes and undergo a criminal spree . The bunch is besieged but they went out firing his gun and made his escape . However , the Kid was caught and convicted of killing and sentenced to be hanged ; though shackled foot and hand , he managed to getaway from prison by shooting dead the deputies (Leon Rippy) guarding him. Pat Garret( William H Petersen), a former friend, was elected sheriff and set off in pursuit to capture him and on 1881 tracked at Fort Sumner and there shot him dead by surprise. It is said that Chisum was instrumental in making Billy the Kid an outlaw killer, he used his considerable influence in getting Garret elected Sheriff of Lincoln County in 1880 and it was Pat who hunted down and killed the young outlaw . Garret and his gang pull off a hot chase against the outlaws. Legend says that Billy murdered 21 men in his 21 years of life but is really thought to be much less. After Pat Garrett was not reelected sheriff of Lincoln County, however he was commissioned a captain in the Texas Rangers. On 19 February 1908 he was driving his buggy on a lonely desert road, he stepped down to urinate and was shot in the back by a hired killer. A man stood trial for the murder but was acquitted. Controversy still surrounds the end of Pat Garrett . This is an in interesting look about the known story of the West's greatest bandit. Contemporary-style Western with acceptable performances and professional direction by Geoff Murphy who creates some good action scenes. The Kid is well played ,though sometimes overacting , by Emilio Estevez, he plays as a likable, sympathetic, attractive young and favourite with girls. This passable Western packs lots of action, shootouts, and explosive violence . Taut excitement throughout, beautifully photographed and with spectacular bloodletting but realized with some flaws . The story is exactly like ¨The young guns I¨ with loads of noisy action and violence. The film gets spectacular shoot em'up , thrills , exciting horse pursuits ; it's entertaining , although nothing new but displays an ordinary pace and with no originality . The movie contains some moment of grisly violence and even touching on the relationships between the fugitives . Colorful and great cinematography by Dean Semler. Modern and unfitting musical score by Alan Silvestri with songs by Jon Bon Jovi. The motion picture will appeal to Western fans.