Last of the Warrens: Ghosts, Cattle, and Old Western Grudges

Is it worth your time?

Look, if you’re looking for a sprawling epic like Frontier Justice, you’re in the wrong zip code. Last of the Warrens is a bite-sized chunk of 1930s western grit that knows exactly what it is. If you enjoy simple revenge plots and bad guys who look like they’re having a bit too much fun being evil, you’ll dig it. If you need complex dialogue or modern pacing, it’ll probably bore you to tears.

Ted Warren gets back from the war only to find his ranch is gone and Kent is playing house. It’s the classic 'return of the hero' trope, but it hits the ground running. I didn't need to be sold on the stakes because the movie doesn't waste time on long, drawn-out introductions.

The Ghost Routine

The best part of this whole thing is definitely the middle stretch. Once they decide to pull the 'ghost' act to scare a confession out of Kent, the movie gets weirdly charming. It’s silly, obviously, but watching these tough-as-nails cowboys try to act like supernatural entities is a riot. It’s almost as creative as the slapstick energy you’d find in All Washed Up, just with more spurs and six-shooters.

The stunt work here is… well, it’s honest. You can see the seams. Sometimes the guys are falling off horses in ways that look like they might have actually hurt, and other times it’s like watching a dance rehearsal that went slightly sideways. There's a particular shot where a henchman gets hit and his reaction is about three seconds too late. It’s hilarious.

Odd Notes from the Saddle

• The villain, Kent, is just delightfully mustache-twirling. He doesn't have a single redeeming quality. It’s refreshing.
• The ranch sets look like they were built yesterday. Everything is suspiciously clean for a place being run by a cattle-rustling jerk.
• I’m pretty sure I saw the same extra in the background of three different scenes. He really wanted to be in this movie.
• The dialogue is mostly just people shouting commands or threats. Not a lot of poetry here, which is fine by me.

It isn't a masterpiece, and it doesn't try to be. It’s a short, sharp punch to the gut that gets the job done before you even have time to finish your popcorn. Sometimes, that’s all a movie needs to be.

It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in The Little Pest, where you just keep moving from one problem to the next without overthinking the logic. Does it make sense that a ghost plan would work on a hardened criminal? Absolutely not. Do I care? Not really. It’s a fun ride if you don't treat it like homework.