The Outlaw Tamer: A Dusty, Forgettable Kind of Western

Is this thing worth the runtime?

Honestly, only if you are already knee-deep in a marathon of dusty, low-budget 1930s westerns. If you have a soft spot for actors who look like they were plucked off a ranch five minutes before the cameras rolled, you'll be fine. If you want something with actual pacing or a script that wasn't written on a napkin, look elsewhere. 🤠

It feels a lot like Wild Mustang in the way it just sort of exists. There’s no big ambition here, just guys in hats riding in circles.

Notes from the saddle

The whole opening chase sequence is mostly just a lot of shouting. The posse is constantly yelling, but nobody ever seems to actually aim their guns at the right target. It’s funny because they’re supposed to be dangerous, but they act like a bunch of lost tourists.

Then we get to the saloon. The shift in tone is so sudden it’s almost jarring. One minute we’re dodging bullets, the next we’re in a quiet room with someone handing out soup. The transition is… let's say abrupt.

• The saloon owner is the only person who seems to know what she's doing.
• The background extras in the saloon look like they were told to stand still for three hours straight.
• Every time someone walks through the door, the floor creaks in the exact same key.

There is this one moment where a character tries to look serious while leaning against a post, but the post clearly wobbles. I had to rewind it twice because it was the most interesting thing in the scene. It’s these little, messy details that make you realize nobody was checking the footage too closely back then.

It’s not as chaotic as Wanted by the Law, but it shares that same DNA of 'get it in the can and move on.' It’s not trying to be a classic. It’s just trying to be a movie that plays on a Saturday afternoon while you eat a sandwich.

The dialogue is mostly just filler. Characters say things like, 'I’ll get him!' or 'Over there!' without adding any actual personality to the mix. It's fine, I guess. You don't come to these for the Shakespearean monologues.

Anyway, if you like watching people ride horses until they get tired, you've found your match. Just don't expect it to change your life.