Movie Reviews (such as they are)

Monday, June 11, 2007

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada


I had high hopes for The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. The trailer looked interesting. A Hollywood movie with seemingly a lot of non-English dialogue in it. That alone must be worth the price of admission, right.

And the reviews had been good. Tommy Lee Jones was being hailed as a master of some sort. The best western since Unforgiven, we were told. I liked Unforgiven well enough back in the day, but I wouldn't bother to watch it again. I was hoping, therefore, that Three Burials would be the best western since before Unforgiven.

It's been a while since I watched it now, and I must say I was clearly not as impressed with it as Wife was. Honestly, I think it plodded. Tommy Lee Jones's Mexican friend (or would-be gay lover) is killed. By whom? We soon find out. And said inadvertent assassin accompanies Jones to bury Melquiades, for the third time, back in his home village in Mexico, hotly pursued by the po-po.

It was all right. It had some good bits. Some of the acting and photography was nice. But, I don't know, it just left me a bit "so what?", you know?

Acting: 14
Story: 12
Direction: 14
Enjoyment: 12
Involvement: 13
Total: 65

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