Edge (2015)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

I am rather partial to a Western, and this one actually has a bit of promise to it. It's action packed, has some good dialogue and some convincing performances.Ryan Kwanten is particularly good.But, by golly it's probably the most gratuitously violent programme I've ever seen on TV, and I've seen plenty of violent stuff. Also, very few of the characters are remotely sympathetic - when you feel most sorry for a dog and a horse, then there's something wrong. So, Shane Black and Co may need to modify this one for a full series. I'm unlikely to watch it unless it tones down the series and makes its main character more sympathetic.

It amazes me how genuinely bad this show is. The characters are a random assembly of tired clichés; the bad guy who is actually good, the good guy who is actually bad, the fortunate son, the token "magic negro" black character. The plot is entirely predictable and trite. A retelling of a well-worn revenge tale, with the one "obscure item" every character is looking for story tacked on for good measure. The action is over the top cartoonish, but attempts to be gritty by showing occasional random body parts falling bloody to the floor.. The acting is pretty bad, with Max Martini technique seemingly based around having a gravelly voice and squinting. However with such one dimensional characters it is hard to blame the actors too much. The only good thing I can say is the pacing is quick. It throws the story at you fast enough that if you don't bother thinking at all you will miss the plot holes, poorly thought out characters, and just dumb story.Maybe some of this is a deliberate choice, a knowing attempt to create a tongue and cheek look at the genre, told in an implausible manner, but trying for a fun tale not to be taken too seriously. However it comes off as a genuine attempt, with little self awareness.

There were some positive things about this pilot. It has some of the elements of the classic spaghetti westerns I love, like the nameless gunslinger walking riding into the run down old west town and facing off with the corrupt sheriff and the mission to get revenge for the death of a beloved family member. On paper, this sounded like a great show. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. It was filled with outlandish, pulpy violence, which is not necessarily a problem, but it seemed out of sync with rest of the show. Too many fingers, toes and heads flew unchecked from various gunshot victims and it just felt silly. The biggest problem I had was the amount of collateral damage for which our protagonist was directly responsible. Granted, he is an anti-hero, but he doesn't seem to have any moral code and seems willing to kill or betray any number of innocent bystanders. They may not all be "innocent", but surely not all deserving of a gruesome death. Even an anti-hero needs to be likable in some way, so that the audience actually wants to root for him. If the villains were not such horrible people, I'd probably be rooting against Edge. If it is picked up to series, I would probably give it one more shot, but I'm not holding out hope.

I must begin by first of all saying that I am a western fan and a huge fan of the "Edge" book series by George G Gilman. I have been hoping to see this character in movies for years and was shocked and ecstatic when i saw it on Amazon. Whilst some of the plot and characters unfortunately deviated somewhat needlessly from the books it was still an exciting ride through the old west of "Josiah C Hedges". The acting and direction were first rate and the on screen action gritty and bloody. Quite how a previous reviewer can put it down in comparison to Hell on Wheels and call it almost unwatchable is beyond me. I can only assume he as not watched very many westerns at all. Don't get me wrong i do not dislike Hell on Wheels but i often find it plodding and slow. If you like your westerns and you like the style of the "Good Bad and Ugly" then you should enjoy "Edge" Please do not be put off by the previous negative reviewer and give this Title a chance to grow and flourish as a Series.