Loser's End: A Dusty, Forgettable Trail

Should you watch Loser's End? Only if your idea of a perfect Saturday afternoon involves staring at mid-century desert landscapes and wondering why the horse seems to be the most talented member of the cast. If you want high-stakes drama or a script that feels like it wasn't written on a napkin, look elsewhere. People who like The Sonora Kid will probably find this comforting in its predictability.

The whole thing kicks off with Jack, our hero, who seems to have a real knack for walking straight into death traps. He gets tangled up with Bill Meeker’s gang, which is mostly just a bunch of guys in vests looking grumpy behind rocks. It is all very standard.

Then Don Carlos shows up to save the day. The way he enters the scene feels like he just wandered off the set of The Golden West and decided to join this production instead. He is stoic, quiet, and doesn't say much—mostly because the dialogue doesn't give him much to work with.

Notes from the trail

• Starlight the Horse definitely puts in more effort than half the supporting actors.
• The editing feels like someone sneezed while cutting the film strips.
• There is a moment near a canyon where the audio just... drops out for three seconds. Nobody fixed it.
• I’m pretty sure I saw the same extra in the background of three different towns.

The plot hinges on Lolita finding out about the gang's raid. It happens so fast I almost missed it while checking my watch. One minute she is just standing there, the next she is full of secret information that moves the story to the finale. Efficiency, I guess?

There is a specific scene where the gang is planning their raid, and they are all huddled around a map that looks like it was drawn by a five-year-old. It is hard to take the threat of "lawlessness" seriously when the bad guys look like they are struggling to fold a piece of paper. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you this moment matters, but the lighting is so flat it just drains all the tension right out of the frame.

It’s not a complete disaster, but it’s thin. It’s like eating a sandwich with only one slice of ham. You’re not hungry after, but you’re not satisfied either. It reminds me a bit of the pacing issues in Dangerous Odds, where things just happen because they have to, not because they make sense.

If you like movies that serve as background noise while you do laundry, put this on. Otherwise, go find a better Western. 🌵