A Fistful of Lead (2018) Reviews

• The rootin'ist tootin'ist new western this side of the Mississippi (and the Thames too!)

  mikeymaccormac2019-02-17

  I loved this movie. It is brilliantly shot (pun intended), the performances are fab and the action is as it should be in a good western - quick, kinetic and brutal! This is not your run of the mill western either, it has a fresh twist on the genre and a sting in its tail!!

• Pretty Solid, Low-Budget Western

  michaelgarykelley19942019-01-21

  My Dad bought this for me for Christmas, and I just now got around to watching it. I actually really liked "A Fistful Of Lead"! I thought this little flick had a lot to offer, honestly! It's flawed, but has a pretty solid script, for the most part. It's essentially about a bunch of bankrobbers being chased-down by a Sherriff of the town they robbed, as well as a bunch of people from the town. They spend a lot of time out in the woods, hunting for the thieves. There aren't many good guys in the film, honestly. One of the only ones is a really annoying British guy, that I thought was the Jar Jar Binks of the film. The guy's always rambling on, trying to make jokes that don't land. Everyone else is playing a Clint Eastwood-type character. I actually think most of them do pretty fine with what the script gives them-especially the more in-the-front female character we have (out of two female characters hiding-out in the cave everyone ends-up at, about halfway through the film). It was all pretty well-performed, if I do say so myself. It seems like all of the cast were having fun with this project. I do think that, sometimes, the costumes-and maybe even the characters themselves-look a little too clean. Even a bloodstain from having someone killed nearby a character could look like spilt koolaid. It's hard to get that down-and-pat for a western of a lower budget, but I don't think the costumes were bad, or anything. Just a little too wrinkle-free for the grittiness this film wanted to depict. Something I do think was absolutely HORRID was the special effects. Every single time someone is shot and killed, CGI blood splatters all over the screen. It really makes the film feel more like a costume party, for some reason. It ruins a ton of the tension that's so well-crafted, at times. CGI gore is fine, in some movies, but it all comes down to how it's utilized. It is NOT utilized well in "A Fistful Of Lead". There's also something else I kept noticing, almost throughout the entire flick: the sheriff is ALWAYS re-dubbed. I don't think I saw that much with anyone, but there are times he's yelling but his mouth is merely mumbling. It can take you out of the film pretty easily, when he's on screen. That being said, I don't think he's a bad actor. It just seems like the director changed the attitudes the sheriff character had, in post-production, yet they never match what he has on the screen. I might also add that I thought the ending was a little odd. Everything about the sheriff character just made me wonder, by the end, why, with his gruff, rude, scheme-y mantra, anyone would appoint him to be the sheriff of a small town in western-based times. Seems a little wrong, or irresponsible, if I were any of the people living in the film's area. One final note is about the score: it was actually very nice. Very suitable to the flick. Almost forgot to mention it, when I originally wrote the review. Overall, if you like more modern, bloody westerns, this might be up your alley. It was a fun time, even if it wasn't perfect. I had a decent time with what I had here, and I'm glad I got to see it. Thanks, Dad! I love you! And God bless you!

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• I don't want to see the things I've seen

  nogodnomasters2018-12-31

  This is not your typical western. It opens with a bloody inane bank robbery shootout. The crooks get away. One is shot. The sheriff was killed. A man self appoints himself as sheriff as the deputy is a coward. He gathers a posse and goes after a different gang. There is distrust among the robbers. The posse includes the deputy and a man from Essex along for the experience. The plot is filled with twists, although we can predict the last killing. It is also a comedy or dark comedy in a Tarantino style. Not for everyone. I got some enjoyment out of it. The mine scenes were great. Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.

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• Whoa!!!

  WelshSergioLeoneFan2019-02-17

  I love me a low budget western but this was a surprise in the best way! Fun characters and a great situation for them to thrive! The shootouts definitely play in a variety of ways. There is one section that's a little like John Wick bit with a six-shooter. Another is fast paced and explosive. I had a blast watching this and didn't expect to highly recommend and hope this team make another western.

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• A Fistful of Fun

  Mikee_P852019-02-18

  A Fistful of Lead is a great addition to the western genre. This is a low budget film that uses its locations, characters and a compelling story to its fullest, never once leaving you anything other than entertained. The story is packed with twists and turns, hitting familiar beats but with a freshness that keeps you engaged. From the start you know something is rotten in Bath Water and you are kept guessing until the very last satisfying scene. Each character is brilliantly written and acted, and I thoroughly enjoyed Richard Sandling's Johnny Romford (who someone else referred to as "an annoying British guy"). Maybe it's because I'm British but I thought his character was hilarious, quotable ("alive is such a ballache"), and provided some comic relief to balance out the darker moments of the film. The cinematography also deserves a mention. This is a beautiful film! All the shots in the wilderness look stunningly cold and bleak, and the orange-hued firelit scenes in the mine provide an exquisite contrast to this. If you're a fan of westerns, or even if you're not, I highly recommend checking this out.

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