A “masterpiece” Western is hailed as a “masterpiece” with one fan arguing it boasts the most “realistic” gunfight they’ve seen on film. Open Range (2003) is set in 1880s Montana, following ex-Union soldier turned cattle rancher “Boss” Spearman (played by the late great Robert Duvall) as he leads a herd cross country alongside cowhands Charley Waite (Kevin Costner), Mose (Abraham Benrubi), and Button (Diego Luna).
But Boss’s attempts to move on from his war and violence-ravaged past are severely tested when Mose fails to return from a trip to a village to get supplies. The film, which was based on Ralph Kimball’s 1990 novel The Open Range Men, and directed and co-produced by Costner. It features a star-studded cast including Annette Bening and Harry Potter star Michael Gambon.
One Audience Reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes hailed it as the “best Western film I have ever seen”, and a “true Western masterpiece”.
“Powerful, riveting, and plenty of impressive western action,” they added. Another wrote: “This is a truly smashing film. Flawless entertainment.
“Beautifully shot, brilliantly acted and one of those few films that you can revisit time and again and still enjoy it as much as the first time.”
A third called it a “bit of an underrated gem for western fans and a small comeback for Costner”.
Meanwhile, a fan writing on IMDb said the film contained the “most realistic film gunfight I’ve ever seen”.
They added: “Once again, Robert Duval deserves Oscar consideration for this one. The dialogue was crisp so kudos to the writing team. The attention to detail must also be applauded.”
The film has an 84% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcornmeter, which reflects the percentage of users who rated it 3.5 stars or higher.
It also has a strong 79% score on the site’s Tomatometer, showing the percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given it a positive review.
Open Range doesn’t appear to be available to stream on the major platforms at present, so fans may have to catch it on DVD for the time being. It’s previously been shown on Channel 4 and Netflix.
