There are films that are more famous because of their soundtracks than because of the rest of their content. One such example is provided by Young Guns II, 1990 western directed by Geoff Murphy.
The film represents sequel to Young Guns, popular 1988 film with young ensemble cast which depicted famous conflict between rival New Mexico cattle barons known as Lincoln County War. The new film begins with prologue set almost a lifetime after those events, in 1950, when young attorney Charles Fallen (played by Bradley Whitford) gets approached by elderly man named Brushy Bill Roberts (played by Emilio Estevez) who claims that he is really William H. Bonney a.k.a. Billy the Kid, young gunslinger who became famous as member of “Regulators” gang by killing large number people during Lincoln County War. When pressed to prove his claims, Roberts begin narrating events from the last two years of Billy’s life. After the conflict ended, Billy is wanted by authorities and lives like an outlaw. He tries to go straight and is willing to make a deal with New Mexico Territory governor Lew Wallace (played by Scott Wilson) – he will receive pardpon in exchange for testifying against rival Lincoln County War faction. The deal, however, turns out to be ruse made in order for Billy to get apprehended. He manages to escape the jail and also sets free two of his old “Regulators” friends – Mexican-Indian Jose Chavez y Chavez (played by Lou Diamond Phillips) and former New York City schoolteacher “Doc” Surlock (played by Kiefer Sutherland). Billy’s new gang, joined by “Arkansas” Dave Rudabaugh (played by Christian Slater), soon runs afoul of their former ally, powerful rancher John Chisum (played by James Coburn) who decides to take care of them. Former gang member and Billy’s old friend Pat Garret (played by William Petersen, replacing Patrick Wayne from the previous film) is named Lincoln County Sheriff and offered 1000 US$ to take Billy dead or alive.
Tale of Billy the Kid was told by Hollywood numerous times, which included classics by Arthur Penn’s Left-Hand Gun and Sam Peckinpah’s Pat Garret and Billy the Kid. The first Young Guns tried to add something new by hiring ensemble cast of late 1980s teen idols and using hard rock music. The next film also tried to pander to MTV generation; unlike Alan Silvestri rather forgettable score (which also uses elements of hard rock), Young Guns II was accompanied by songs specifically written for film by Jon Bon Jovi and later issued as conceptual album with main song “Blaze of Glory” becoming one of greatest hits of its time. Although Young Guns II had decent box office results and, unlike the first film, even some decent reviews, the film wasn’t that impressive.
On strictly technical level, Young Guns II is competently directed by Geoff Murphy, New Zealand film maker specialised in action. He uses cinematography by Dean Semler to create some memorable images that at times give this film epic character that previous film lacked. Action scenes are dynamic and well-staged. Emilio Estevez, who, unlike previous film, plays central character, is great in double role of embittered old man and young arrogant psychopath. All this effort, however, is wasted because of poorly conceived script by John Fusco. The main problem is that Billy the Kid, the protagonist audience is supposed to like, is dangerous man who apparently likes to kill people a little bit too much. Fusco tries to solve that problem by painting his adversaries as something even worse – sadistic prison guards, corrupt politicians, racist and hypocrites among what went for “polite society” at Old West. Many of such characters are one-dimensional and fine actors like Scott Wilson and James Coburn are wasted in underwritten roles. Fusco started film with the good idea, based on real events in 1950 spurning debate that lasts to this day, but the final fate of Billy the Kid is mishandled and film looks really disappointing in comparison with what Peckinpah did with the same subject in his famous 1973 film. Young Guns II is, on the other hand, much darker with fate of certain characters being much worse in Fusco’s script than in real history. This film is entertaining enough and can be enjoyed even by viewers that aren’t fans of Estevez, Philips or Sutherland, but most of them won’t be too sad because Young Guns III never got made.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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