Quite a fun experience, but not quite a proper movie. I like the settings, the characters, the ancient technology, the brutality and historical significance. It's just a wonderful setting and it makes you wish you were there with them. If it was in color it would look amazing.
Unfortunately the plot is quite weak. You expect a big showdown, but we only get a minute long shootout at the very end. Before that it was just a tale of traveling. Which is awesome and engaging by itself, but it lacks plot. Bad guys are with the wagon train. Bad guys have bad plans, but only a few minutes before the end do the bad guys reveal their plan and then finally the good guys have to react with violence. Before that there were some cute romance scenes, but it always felt too little. Like, we don't even see the couples get together. They are just kinda in the same place, but we never see where they end up. The 2 leads, the wagon masters, are also not clearly defined. They are childish horse salesmen. But what else do they know? I think John Ford tried to hint at them being a bit sleazy. But I wish they had more plans and stories. They are just kinda there and that's why they are the leads and why the 2 cute ladies like them. Not because they are special. Overall the setting is so amazing that the plot doesn't need to work to make the movie work overall. I just really wish they had done more with the 2 romance stories. That would make the movie. Or let the leads kill off the bad guys slowly with clever tricks instead of just doing it all at the very end. That would make the plot work too.
Unfortunately the plot is quite weak. You expect a big showdown, but we only get a minute long shootout at the very end. Before that it was just a tale of traveling. Which is awesome and engaging by itself, but it lacks plot. Bad guys are with the wagon train. Bad guys have bad plans, but only a few minutes before the end do the bad guys reveal their plan and then finally the good guys have to react with violence. Before that there were some cute romance scenes, but it always felt too little. Like, we don't even see the couples get together. They are just kinda in the same place, but we never see where they end up. The 2 leads, the wagon masters, are also not clearly defined. They are childish horse salesmen. But what else do they know? I think John Ford tried to hint at them being a bit sleazy. But I wish they had more plans and stories. They are just kinda there and that's why they are the leads and why the 2 cute ladies like them. Not because they are special. Overall the setting is so amazing that the plot doesn't need to work to make the movie work overall. I just really wish they had done more with the 2 romance stories. That would make the movie. Or let the leads kill off the bad guys slowly with clever tricks instead of just doing it all at the very end. That would make the plot work too.