Film #32/366
3.5 / 5 Stars
Butch Cassidy is an old man and is ready to partake in one last adventure; the lengthy trek home to America. Along the way, he finds an unlikely substitute for Sundance in the form of a Spanish thief, Eduardo. What was to be a subdued, yet arduous journey, becomes an ordeal rife with shoot-outs, hauntings from past injustices and deceit.
Blackthorn is worth seeing, not only for a compelling performance by Sam Shepard, but for a beautifully scenic, modern-made Western set in the wonderful countryside and salt-flats of Bolivia. The film is low on charisma and even though an old gun-slinger ready to move on isn’t bound to be brimming with charm, at times it can be quite dreary and impenetrable. However, the story is engaging and while the sombre, brooding moments may outweigh the action-filled and triumphant, these moments are never dull, as suspense always lingers.
