Good Young Guns Essay Example

In the 1988 film “Young Guns”, the story retells the adventures of legendary outlaw Billy the Kid. Directed by Christopher Cain. “Young Guns” expands upon the western genre, by taking a real life villain and make his exploits an entertaining and sometimes humorous adventure. The film explores a brotherhood between young men as they join together for a shared cause.
The film falls within the western genre, however it has been modernized to fit today’s audiences. The western genre typically refers to any film ‘set in the late 19th century”. This film certainly falls within this description. There are many aspects of this film that are typical to this genre. The idea of outlaws rebelling against society is a fairly common storyline in more modern westerns. Sometimes the story is told from the outlaw’s perspective and other times flipped and told from the law abiding side. Earlier westerns usually had a “good guy” as the lead character but as audiences changed so did scripts, twisting to make the villains sympathetic lead characters. The idea of adding humor and more modern action is also geared towards appealing to today’s audiences. The film appeals to 1980’s culture, taking on young, well known movie stars and showing then as raucous cowboys that would appeal to a younger audience. Modern music and language are also used to make the genre more relatable and hip.
The setting is 1878 New Mexico. Most of the movie takes place on a cattle ranch. The environment is typical to most westerns. The area is sparse and desert like in some areas, and the competition for territory and cattle sales are very furious within this movie.
The editing within this film was adequate to producing a fast moving plot line filled with action. Some was lacking in the story aspect but overall felt appropriate to the film. The film lacked in character development but made up for it in humor and action. The film could have benefited from editing out some of the supporting characters and focusing more on the leads to assist in character development and prevent confusion among viewers. By editing out unneeded characters it would have made more sense.
Sound is very important to this film. Sound effects add to the sense of drama and make the action scenes appear to be more realistic. The sound effects assist in creating the environment around the characters. Modern rock music serves as a soundtrack to the film. This aspect differentiated this film from more traditional westerns and makes it more accessible to modern day audiences by creating a sound track that they are familiar with. The use of sound is very effective in creating a sense of action throughout the film. The cinematography of “Young Guns” works well with the high action film. The film uses multiple camera angles to capture the film and present a visually interesting view. Most of the film is well lit reflecting the lighthearted nature of the film. The director conveys the message by telling the story through a first person narrative. The camera techniques are diverse from close ups to aerial work. Close up are used for particular instrumental shots, such as when a character has something particularly important to say. Color was used to illustrate the natural beauty of environment, despite the fact that the environment is typically earth tones. The costumes within this film indicate the time period which is the late 19th century American west. The characters were typically cowboy garb. Clothing is also used to help convey social class. The richer ranchers in the film have more elaborate clothing than the young men of lower social class. The lighting and sound also play an important role in the film. The lighting is very realistic and indicates a warmth and brightness. This works well with the humorous nature of the film. The most notable sound in the film is the rock music played throughout the film. Differences in the sound indicate different characters and changes in the film’s pace through action and sound.
In context to the films production, the producers set out to make a film that was more modern than the traditional western genre. The film included a star studded cast of young heartthrobs meant to bring in a younger audience. The film was filmed both on location and sound stages. The sets are complex and detailed. The film was successful in this aspect being one of the most widely watched westerns of this era. The use of notable stars brought in fans from other genres of film to the world of western films.
There are some biases that effect the film, one being the idea of portraying outlaws as heroic figures. The men in the film break the law on many different occasions and go as far as murdering others. All of these ideas to most are considered morally wrong, however the film shows them as fighter against injustice. This bias moves away from showing that what these men have done is wrong. Historically Billy the Kid had few redeeming qualities and was known as a ruthless murderer. This film does not convey this message and trivializes these actions.
This film was rather enjoyable. From a historic or informative perspective, the film is not very accurate, however from an entertainment perspective the film is fun to watch. The film was fast paced and keeps the viewer engaged in the action. The main characters are interesting and likable, despite being anti-heroes. Some of the supporting characters are not well developed by the main ones are. The rancher villains are believable. Overall the film is both action packed and humorous. The film is a refreshing take on a genre that seemed to be dying out and will surely help westerns live on into the modern age.
This film is one that would be enjoyable to many different audience. It is recommended that others watch it. I would give it 3 out of 5 stars. Overall, the film “Young Guns” uses many different cinematic elements to create a fun adventure set in a western atmosphere. “Young Guns”, directed by Christopher Cain, shows how a particular genre of film can be revamped to fit newer markets. The film is nothing special in terms of story but in terms of entertaining it is spectacular. The high action film is not meant to have a complex message but instead to entertain. Something that viewers often look for when choosing a film in this day and age. “Young Guns” is a film that audience will enjoy for years to come.