The Old Way, 2023.
Directed by Brett Donowho.
Starring Nicolas Cage, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Clint Howard, Abraham Benrubi, Shiloh Fernandez, Nick Searcy, Skyler Stone, Eddie Spears, Dean Armstrong, Noah Le Gros, Kerry Knuppe, Adam Lazarre-White, Boyd Kestner, Beau Linnell, Joe Pepper, Jeff Medley, Corby Griesenbeck, Everett Blunck, and Brett Donowho.
SYNOPSIS:
An old gunslinger and his daughter must face the consequences of his past when the son of a man he murdered years ago arrives to take his revenge.
Once a ruthless killer that seemingly betrayed close friends along the way (or didn’t care about collateral death), Nicolas Cage’s Colton Briggs has miraculously been molded into a mellowed-out family man by his wife Ruth (Kerry Knuppe), also a father to young Brooke (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) that doesn’t mind the occasional gender role reversal parenting (such as walking her to school before opening his general store.) In The Old Way, Nicolas Cage plays a changed man who can easily revert to his old ways if push comes to shove (like so many other examples in this subgenre of weathered old men desperately trying to hang onto a renewed sense of normalcy.)
For director Brett Donowho (Acts of Violence), the old way also refers to the phasing out of the Wild West as Colton found peace and purpose. So when tragedy strikes, and he feels compelled to take up arms, Marshal Jarrett (Nick Searcy) asserts that he and his deputies will find and detain the ones responsible, eventually leading to a trial and their inevitable hangings. Unsurprisingly, Colton cannot sit back and let the lawmen and justice system go to work, waking up Brooke and bringing her along on a quest for vengeance.
Much like her father, Brooke struggles to express emotions. The lawmen can’t help but notice she doesn’t shed tears over her mother’s death, likely due to the cold and strict parenting she knows. In some ways, father and daughter are mirror images of one another, with perhaps the last step to a fully shared identity being Brooke emerging into a remorseless killer as her father once was, giving that up for a more fulfilling life. As such, during the father-daughter bonding aspects of The Old Way, it’s occasionally intentionally uncomfortable watching him possibly teach her torture methods (thankfully, he doesn’t) or how to wield a firearm properly.
Nicolas Cage also proves to be a valuable asset here (no one performs grieving quite like him, consistently striking the balance between internal pain and acting with a capital A), striking up believable chemistry with Ryan Kiera Armstrong and a moving bond that genuinely leads to an emotional climax (although stronger writing and direction would have played up these themes and homed in on the changing of the times more.)
Meanwhile, the cold-blooded killers led by Noah Le Gros’ James McCallister, who has an obvious connection to Colton, are generic and one-dimensional. The henchmen are misguidedly played for comedic relief and often feel ripped from a different movie entirely. A truly wonky script from Carl W. Lucas does the on-screen talent any services (there’s a painfully awkward early exchange between Colton and his wife.)
There’s also nothing exciting about the action or shootouts beyond some striking locations. However, it is slightly forgivable, considering the story leads to a classic gunslinging showdown with a twist and with weight and stakes. One half of The Old Way is a confused tonal blunder, but the father-daughter dynamic, not to mention solid performances from Nicolas Cage and Ryan Kiera Armstrong, overcome the misfires. It’s got enough Cage grit to work.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
