Cavalry: A Dusty, No-Frills Trip Out West

Is it worth your time?

If you have a soft spot for grainy, old-school Westerns where the plot is thinner than a piece of parchment but the horses are plentiful, you’ll probably find something to like here. If you need a movie that reinvented the wheel or actually cares about character arcs, skip it. It’s pure meat and potatoes filmmaking, for better or worse.

The whole thing feels like it was put together in a hurry. You’ve got Captain Thorn, who spends most of his screen time looking stern while shouting orders at men who are mostly just there to fill the frame. Chuck Baldra does what he can, but there isn't much room for nuance when you’re busy protecting a telegraph wire from a guy like Leeds.

Oddly specific observations

• There is a scene involving a wagon train where I swear half the extras forgot they were supposed to be looking at the horizon. They just kind of stare at the ground.
• The sound design is... well, it’s loud. Every time a horse kicks up dirt, it sounds like a small explosion.
• I’m pretty sure I saw the same rock formation in the background of three different 'wilderness' shots.

It’s funny, watching this reminded me a bit of the frantic pacing in The Outlaw Tamer. Both films have that weird, hurried energy where nobody is allowed to sit down for more than thirty seconds before someone draws a gun or starts yelling about the law.

The conflict with Leeds feels like it’s being solved by a committee that couldn't agree on what to do, so they just chose the simplest option: a standoff. You can almost feel the script cutting corners to save a few bucks on the lighting bill. One reaction shot of the villain lingers so long it actually becomes a little bit funny, like he forgot his line and was waiting for the director to yell cut. 🤠

I don’t know, maybe I’m being harsh. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s not trying to be. It just exists to fill an hour or so of your life with galloping and shouting. Sometimes, that’s all you really need on a Tuesday night.

It certainly doesn't reach the level of intensity you might see in something like Heroes All, which had a bit more focus on the actual humans involved. Here, the humans are mostly just props in fancy hats. Still, the hat quality is decent.

If you watch it, don't look for deep meaning. Just look at the horses. They seem like they're having a much better time than the actors.