Sam Raimi’s 1995 western is fully remastered and includes seven never-before-seen deleted scenes.
In the lawless town of Redemption, a gunslinger known as The Lady (Sharon Stone) arrives seeking revenge on the town’s mayor and former outlaw, John Herod (Gene Hackman). To settle the score, The Lady must compete in a dangerous quick-draw tournament where the winner receives fame and fortune. The tournament will be no easy feat as entrants include fast-handed Fee “The Kid” Herod (Leonardo DiCaprio), outlaw turned priest Cort (Russell Crowe), hired gun Sgt. Clay Cantrell (Keith David), and fresh-out-of-jail Scars (Mark Boone Junior).
After its release in 1995, The Quick and the Dead received mixed reviews and performed underwhelmingly in the box office. I grew up watching westerns with my grandfather that featured stars like John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Roy Rogers. However, we never watched The Quick and the Dead so this was my first time watching the film. Here we are 23 years after its theatrical release and I must admit that I really enjoyed it.
Fans of A-list actors will not be disappointed with The Quick and the Dead. Noticeable names include Stone (Casino, Total Recall), Hackman (The French Connection, Unforgiven), DiCaprio (Titanic, The Revenant), and Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind). Incredibly, this was Russell Crowe’s American film debut. The film also features a lot of familiar faces as well, such as Tobin Bell (the Saw franchise), Keith David (Platoon, The Thing), Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump, Truman), and Mark Boone Junior (TV’s Sons of Anarchy, Batman Begins).
Is the film over-the-top? Yes, at times it is, but that adds to humorous undertone of what is otherwise an edgy and action-packed film. After being fully remastered, the film is beautiful and provides stunning visuals for a mid-90s western. Something else I really like about the film is its storyline. While a lot of westerns are stories of lovable heroes, robberies, and conflicts between sheriffs and outlaws, The Quick and the Dead offers a different take by focusing on revenge via quick-draw tournament. At times, the film becomes a bit predictable, but in reality most westerns are. While fans of the genre will appreciate The Quick and the Dead the most, anyone who views the film should find enjoyment watching it.
The Quick and the Dead is now available on 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray.
