I loved the original series of Deadwood and was mighty happy to see its return in a movie format, but I now wish it had not rode back into town. On one level, it was lovely to see the strong characters back in the saddle, but the media culture of 2019 is not the same as that of 2004. As such, the searing edge and brutality of the TV series is notably lacking in the film. Furthermore, while Seth Bullock still has his swagger and slings the six-shooter with consummate skill (although not very often), many of the other characters are mere reflections of their previous selves, most notably (and tragically) the magisterial Al Swearengen. Where once he was ruthless (but always charming), now he is passive, and most often is little more than a spectator from the balcony of The Gem. Moreover, the film doesn't really get anywhere and the runtime means that actresses of the calibre of Molly Parker and Anna Gunn sadly get to contribute very little to the story. In terms of the dialogue, as many other reviewers have flagged, there are whole sections of speech that are very difficult to follow, and on some occasions I just had to assume that what was said was profound. As such, while there is undoubted pleasure to see the onscreen interplay between Ian McShane and Timothy Olyphant again, I wish it had stayed in the past and that George Hearst did not return to the outpost of Deadwood. Thus, sometimes it is perhaps best to follow Don Henley's sage advice and don't look back, because you can never look back.
Review of Deadwood: The Movie
