Sin #73: Most Wanted

The increasing violence and insecurity have risen to dangerous heights across the Mexican country; in a sense, some towns near the border have resorted to the ways of the Wild West by turning the desert into a battlefield. The bloodshed, product of the drug war, has gotten worst over the months and now seems to taint the bicentenary celebration of September in many cities (Monterrey has been the city most affected by the violence, not to mention natural catastrophes that have devastated several urban areas).

Society has always had an affinity for violence and the Western genre has always been a formidable way of focusing it and simplifying its conflicts. There are the good guys (handsome, proud and honorable men) on one side and the villains (ugly, despicable killers) on another. The good guys inevitably win the fights and the bystanders cheer as the heroes ride victorious into the sunset.

For a taste of the genre there’s no better introduction than playing “Red Dead Redemption”, a videogame for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 developed by Rockstar that takes the “Grand Theft Auto” engine and transports it to the Wild West in a story of revenge and, indeed, redemption (for those fans of GTA, I got to say that many staples are still present including pillaging and going on an endless murdering rampage). It’s a cinematic experience that’s engrossing and utterly involving, not to mention a lot of fun (without a doubt it’s yet another triumph for Rockstar).

In cinematic terms, the genre has had its ups and downs. For a while westerns became opportunities for character actors like John Wayne or Clint Eastwood to develop their tough-guy personas, but then its popularity fizzled and westerns were perceived as almost an ancient relic of dated clichés.

Today, the genre has made a comeback (with some original works like “Appaloosa” and several remakes, like the Coens’ version of “True Grit”, soon to be released with Jeff Bridges in the John Wayne role); some films have even risen from their ancient roots by injecting new life into their stories, like the “3:10 to Yuma” remake starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale.

“3:10 to Yuma” introduces a story ripe for clichés but director James Mangold keeps the action real and focuses on the acting of its talented cast. Crowe creates an intriguing villain, suave, mysterious and very capable of exploding in terrible acts of violence and yet, charming and likable. Ben Forster is the true monster of the piece as a young man on the mission of rescuing his mentor. Bale is a farmer longing for the respect of his family.

The movie follows these characters on a doomed journey but I liked its ending which finds the right balance between poetic truth and irony.

A very different kind of western comes in the form of a Korean movie (I know the phrase Korean western sounds bizarre) called “The Good, the Bad and the Weird” which isn’t a parody of “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” but more of a tribute to that classic film. It’s equal parts Sergio Leone and “Kung Fu Hustle”. The movie follows a group of characters in search of a buried treasure (the characters make a leap of faith since none of them knows exactly what’s buried).

The great thing about “The Good, the Bad and the Weird” is its endless invention and great energy; it features astonishing cinematography (especially in a virtuoso opening scene inside a train), a fantastic soundtrack and performances that never wink at the audience. It’s a joyful adventure.

These movies are current examples of a genre that gets constantly reinvented, and since the truth is always stranger than fiction, it’s nice to see stories where the good guys actually win and can ride proudly into the sunset.