Well I would have to say that I did find this movie entertaining. Nicholas Cage was fun to watch, I think he did a good job playing the character that was called for, but the real revelation of the film was Ryan Keira Armstrong. I'd never seen her before and she was absolutely astonishing, as his daughter. She was a really fun character to watch and she really played it the character to the hilt. Gritty, self assured and believable. So many comic book characters these days, that just feel like they're written from cardboard, and it is so refreshing to see a character truly written well. She was truly convincing, and as an actress, she really has a future.

First Impressions:

The movie ran like a remake of one of the classic 'Wild West' feature films. The nuanced scenes and gun-fight choreographies, and even the quieter more sentimental scenes, felt like they came straight from an old Western movie. This decision, more than anything else, made "The Old Way" rise above the noise.

Story Analysis:

Watching Nicholas Cage do what he does is what fans like me want to see once we hear news about a "new Cage movie". In this production, he delivered yet another corny but captivating performance in ways only he can manage to do.

All the other artists added their own amazing touches to "The Old Way". The music exceptionally complemented every scene in the movie. The plotline was simple and familiar, especially considering the genre.

Colton Briggs was not known for being awfully nice, but there came a time when he had to kill a man while his young son watched on. This created a revenge arc for when the boy became a man and came after his father's killer.

By that time, Colton was living out his days as a family man with his wife Ruth and their daughter Brooke. The fated face-off became a gripping lesson in what could happen if grudges were left to brew.

This story was set at a time when the titular 'old way' was changing. Statehood and new laws kept roving hoodlums near their saddles. It was interesting to see the character of Colton be himself in such a swiftly transitioning world.

The way the man "felt dead inside" and how that trait seemingly passed down to his daughter helped define both their characters. Also, the way his wife Ruth changed him and made him feel fear for the first time - fear of losing her, that is - added to the movie's empathic layers.

Stunts, VFX, and editing were great. Art direction and set decoration were notable. Hair-makeup and costume design were amazing. Sound effects and musical scoring were superb. Cinematography was admirable. Screenplay was smart. Direction was great.

Final Notes:

As I immersed myself in the story, I forgot I was still in 2023 admiring a plotline that eloquently captured classic-era movie vibes. Even the clichéd sequences were in keeping with old-school Western themes.

The way the filmmakers managed to weave in a subtle thread of modernity - especially with some dialogue and humour choices - into the overall plot added to the captivation in "The Old Way".

Retired gunslinger Colton Briggs faces the consequences of his past when the son of a man he murdered arrives to take his revenge.

Briggs must take up arms once more after his wife is killed, and is joined by his young daughter.....

I'm a huge Cage fan, and this is him at his most restraint that we've seen him for a while. And it's a refreshing move, as he and his onscreen daughter shine whenever they are together on screen, as it makes the film far more watchable than it should be, as the narrative is nothing more than your average revenge thriller.

Cage plays a once brutal gunman, much like William Munney in Unforgiven, and like Eastwood, Cage is calm and collective whilst he is on his trail of vengeance.

On his quest, we meet other people, some on his side, some not, but always raising interest in the narrative, and adding a little more to his quest. If you're not a fan of Cage, you may find this film a little mundane, as it is a slow burner of a film, it focuses more on the relationship dynamic between father and daughter, rather than the revenge element of the film, which makes it a little more interesting than your average revenge thriller.

I really enjoyed it.