Rainbow's End: A Dusty Western That Doesn't Reinvent the Wheel

Is it worth your time?

If you like your cowboys with a side of moral conflict and predictable scuffles, you'll probably get a kick out of Rainbow's End. It’s not going to change your life, but it’s a solid enough way to kill an hour if you dig the genre. If you hate slow-burn ranch drama or get annoyed by bad guys who twirl their imaginary mustaches, skip this one and maybe go watch The Iron Rider instead.

There's a specific charm to how this movie treats its space. The desert looks hot, and you can practically smell the stale coffee through the screen. Hoot Gibson carries the whole thing with that easygoing posture he always had. He isn't trying too hard to be a hero; he just looks like a guy who’d rather be riding than arguing about land deeds.

The Messy Bits

The conflict with the father feels a bit thin. You know the drill—the son wants to do the right thing, the dad is blinded by a shady partner. It’s the kind of plot you could probably sketch on a napkin during a lunch break. And yet, the way the actors handle the dialogue keeps it from feeling totally robotic.

I noticed a scene where the background extras look like they’re just waiting for the lunch bell to ring. There’s one guy in a hat leaning against a fence who doesn't move for three straight minutes. It’s actually kind of distracting if you’re bored, but maybe that’s just how slow life was in this version of the West.

• The lighting in the exterior shots is surprisingly crisp.
• The villain is so cartoonishly evil it actually circled back to being kind of funny.
• The horse riding scenes? Solid. You can tell they actually put some miles on those saddles.

It reminds me a bit of the pacing issues I had with The Sagebrush Lady. Sometimes the momentum just stops dead. You’re waiting for a shootout or a chase, and instead, you get two guys talking in a room for way too long about fences. It feels like the director was really in love with the sound of his own dialogue.

At one point, the partner’s scheme gets so convoluted I actually had to rewind to make sure I heard it right. I didn't. It was just nonsensical. But who really cares about the plot in these things anyway? It’s all about the hats and the dust and the inevitable moment someone gets punched in the jaw.

If you’re looking for high art, keep walking. If you want a movie that smells like old film reels and hard work, pull up a chair. Just don't expect it to keep you up at night thinking about the human condition. It’s just a Western, and that’s plenty. 🤠