A low-budget Western with some truly great talent. The film doesn't quite achieve what it could have, but still manages to entertain with some amazing Western sequences that will make any fan of the genre happy.
“In this thrilling Western, a young boy, Rio (Jake Schur), is forced to go on the run across the American Southwest in a desperate attempt to save his sister (Leila George) from his villainous uncle (Chris Pratt). Along the way, he encounters Sheriff Pat Garrett (Ethan Hawke), on the hunt for the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid (Dane DeHaan). Rio finds himself increasingly entwined in the lives of these two legendary figures as the cat-and-mouse game of Billy the Kid’s final year of life plays out. Ultimately he is forced to choose which type of man he is going to become, the outlaw or the man of valor, and will use this self-realization in a final act to save his family.”
Western is one of my favorite genres, but more often than not have difficulty bringing something new and unique to the table. They usually entail some kind of Loner character that resists the call to adventure and turns out to be the hero they never knew they were. The Kid explores these elements to a degree, but in a world much deeper and richer than your typical Western.
What sets this film apart from many others from the genre is that it’s set against real life characters and tells a fictional story involving them. Since the fate of Billy the Kid is known, the story focuses on characters that react to his life and his actions. The story begins rather abruptly when Rio confronts and kills his father as he is beating his mother to death. His Uncle, who lives in the next house over, hears the commotion and before he can kill his nephew, Rio stabs him and gets away with his sister. While on the run, they come across Billy the Kid just as he’s captured by Sheriff Garrett. While Rio looks up to Billy in the fact that he’s come from the same background and claims to know what he’s going through, Billy is more interested in manipulating everyone around him in order to escape custody. As much as you think The Kid is in reference to Billy the Kid, it’s more Rio’s film and how his decisions will ultimately lead him to choosing whether to be like Billy the Kid or Sheriff Garrett.
Directed by Vincent D’Onofrio, The Kid features some breathtaking visual sequences that every Western should include. Cinematography and set design are one of the highlights of this film, with the wide open spaces and untamed country-sides visually stunning. There is tension in all the right places, with some perfect Western standoffs, especially the end sequence, delivering on its building throughout the film. Ethan Hawke plays Pat Garrett very well, a man of conviction and of the law, willing to help those in need that deserve it. Dane Dehaan is someone I’ve noticed since I saw him in Chronicle. Although I thought he made a very poor Harry Osbourne in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, this is, in my opinion, his best role to date. It shows his range as an actor against some seasoned veterans, ripe with charisma as he plays one of the most iconic gunslingers in history. Leila George, Vincent D’Onofrio’s daughter, is wonderful in the film as well, but unfortunately doesn’t have much to do but run and scream. Despite her father directing, her role in the film is very underutilized and condemned with being a typical female-in-a-western type of character, with no depth. The range she demonstrates only serves to remind the audience of the lack of depth in her character. Jake Schur is very young but still shows extreme dedication to his lead in the film. Although he does it well, he has a bit of whininess to him that almost reminds me of Eddie Furlong, which isn’t a good thing. One of the most conflicting things about the film, however, is Chris Pratt’s role of the Uncle. It’s a very small role, and him being the main antagonist of the film he seems very absent when you look at story as a whole. His scenes are intense, he’s intense, horrifying even. I was very excited to see him play someone that’s not a sarcastic idiot and he pulls it off extremely well, the only problem was there isn’t enough of him in the film.
The Kid has a lot going on in it, following Rio as he becomes involved in the events of history that ultimately don’t seem to matter that much. This could have been any outlaw, any Sheriff, and although I understand the intent of Rio’s journey, it could have been executed so much better to make the audience really care about Rio and how his relationship with Billy the Kid changes him into a better person, and more importantly, why he needed to experience that in order to face his Uncle at the end. The film has some great Western elements to it but falls just a bit short of becoming one of the ones that will be remembered. While I found it entertaining, given the choice, there are better Westerns out there.
Video
The Kid is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1. The transfer looks exceptional, and as I already mentioned, one of my favorite parts of this film was the wide open spaces and beautiful scenery the film boasts. The film is very detailed and clear, with the majority of the picture taking place in the bright outdoors, further accentuating the detail. The palate consists mainly of a yellowish/brown hue of the dry desert, with colors bright and vivid that contrast nicely with the starkness of the background.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The majority of this track is dialogue, save for the gun battling sequences that will really ramp things up from the surrounds. Dialogue is clear and concise, with no defects noticed in this track. The score is simple yet effective, providing some really great Western-esque moments that match the sequences perfectly, a testament to the composer.
Special Features
Unfortunately, this set only has one extra on it. However, although short, it’s extremely informative and gives us a glimpse at behind the scenes of the film.
- Making of The Kid
The Kid is a simple story taking place in the background of history. It has some great moments, it’s well-acted, beautifully shot, but seems to be missing something to make it truly great. For a low-budget film though, the production is one of the most impressive things about it. Worth a watch? Definitely.
