Peacemakers Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) have been riding the Wild West together for a dozen years doling out justice to the bad guys. They're friends, They've got each others back.
They're called to the tiny town of Appaloosa after Marshall Jack Bell (Bobby Jauregui) and his two deputies disappear while making a call on the notorious rancher Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons). Bragg and his men have been riding rough shot over the area for some time and Appoloosa's councilmen (James Gammon, Timothy Spall, Tom Bower) hire the two itinerent lawmen to keep the town safe. The councilmen have to agree that it's Cole's way or no way.
When one of Bragg's men, the young Joe Whitfield (Gabriel Marantz) defects and comes to town to tell Cole and Hitch that Bragg himself had murdered the marshall and two deputies, Cole and Hitch set out to take Bragg into custody until the circuit judge comes in.
By this time, a beguiling and flirtatious widow, Allie French (Renee Zellweger), arrives in town and Cole is smitten. It isn't long before they're living together, building a house in town, and Cole is preparing to settle down.
The circuit judge (Bob Harris, who is Ed Harris' real father) arrives and after a brief trial, orders Bragg to the prison some distance away. Cole and Hitch take the train with the prisoner and the law officers who escort the judge to deposit Bragg at the prison, but Bragg's men have hired the Shelton brothers -- Ring (Lance Henriksen) and Mackie (Adam Nelson) -- a pair of gunslingers-for-hire to set Bragg free. The Sheltons kidnap Allie and follow the train, finally persuading Cole to release Bragg.
Cole and Hitch track the fugitives who still have Allie. A skirmish with Indians happens and eventually all end back in Appaloosa for a dramatic shoot out.
Appaloosa now ranks right up there with High Noon, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Shane as my top favorite westerns.
Ed Harris not only stars in this film, he co-wrote the script, directed, and produced the film, plus he wrote and sings the second song that plays during the closing credits -- a funky song worth the listen. It's right after a great song by Tom Petty and performed by Mudcrutch. Overall, the music throughout the film was terrific and so was the cinematography.
Run time: 1 hour, 54 minutes
Rated R for some violence and language.
My personal rating: A-
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