The Revenge Rider: A Quick Trip Through Old West Troubles

Is it worth your time?

If you like your movies black and white, fast, and smelling of horse leather, you’ll probably enjoy The Revenge Rider. It’s not going to win any awards for deep philosophy, but it gets the job done. If you prefer long, lingering shots of sunsets or complex character arcs, you’re going to hate this one.

Honestly, the whole thing feels like it was filmed in a frantic hurry. There’s a scene where Tim finds the room locked from the inside, and the way he just stares at the door is... well, it’s a bit funny. It’s like he’s trying to solve a puzzle while the movie is already moving onto the next scene.

I noticed that the cattle rustling plot is really just an excuse to get people shooting at each other. It reminded me a bit of the pacing in The Ramblin' Galoot, where the story is just a thin wire holding up a bunch of action set pieces. You don't come here for the plot twists; you come for the hats.

The bad guy, Kramer, is classic. He’s got that specific look of someone who enjoys being mean for no reason. I found myself wanting him to be caught just so I could see Tim McCoy finally get a moment to sit down and drink some coffee.

There is a lot of talk about brands and cattle, but most of it goes in one ear and out the other. It feels less like a detective story and more like a checklist. Did we mention the rustled cattle? Okay, good. Let's go ride somewhere.

It’s not as polished as something like Stardust, but it has a weird, rough charm. The way they handle the suicide note is so blunt it almost feels like a parody of a noir film dropped into a canyon.

• The dialogue is incredibly snappy, bordering on aggressive.
• I’m pretty sure someone’s horse is staring directly into the camera in one of the long shots.
• The pacing is frantic.
• The hats are magnificent.

If you've got forty minutes and a strong desire to see men in spurs argue about branding irons, this is your movie. Don't overthink it, because the film certainly doesn't.