Cinematic Releases: Blackthorn

Blackthorn is a tale of Butch Cassidy that takes place long after the events of the classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. It's the story of a much older Butch, now living as a recluse south of the border. The movie stars Sam Shepard in the title role once played by the now deceased Paul Newman. I had heard the plans for this movie last year and was questionable from the start.

Unfortunately, Blackthorn had the demands of following a classic tale and a film that's left an undeniable legacy. And it fails at every turn. This is a slow moving piece that never establishes it's footing. The story is bland and will not excite western fans like myself. If you're expecting any action, you're in for a surprise. The movie only features a few gun fights and none of them help expand this over long failure.

If you're a fan of Shepard you may enjoy his performance in this one. However, the rest of the movie is just an uninspired waste of time. Sorry.