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Cliche!

It's a fun movie don't get me wrong but at every scene there is a line I know you've heard in every other Western. If you like the Western plot form then by all means watch it and have fun but don't expect to be surprised. If you want a real Western read "The Virginian" by Owen Wister. It's the original!

...zz..zzzzz...zzzz.

(A minor spoiler of two)Like my "Princess Diaries" review, the summary for this one says it all. "American Outlaws" has some decent, though almost cartoonish action sequences, villains that really aren't that menacing (Timothy Dalton suffers the worst of this, by being someone who instead of evil, respects Jesse James and his gang). This angle might have been interesting, if the rest of the cast were any good at all. Well, I guess I should mention that Colin Farrell is passable as the outlaw Jesse James, Scott Cann is okay as Jesse's cousin, Cole Younger, and Gabriel Macht is decent as Jesse's brother.The story has something to do with the James-Younger gang taking revenge on an evil railroad corporation, who wants to make a railroad through some farmland, but begins wreaking havoc on the farmers who won't sell their land.
It's obvious what going to happen from the get go, and nothing surprising occurs throughout the film's running time, which seems to be 2+ hours, but the movie barely clocks in at 100 mins. Not very good acting, and an even sillier story make "American Outlaws" a flick that will likely die a quick death at the box office and then never be heard from again. I give it 1/2 out of 4 stars.

Too many bad reviews for such a great movie!!!!!

Don't do what the reviewers said about this film. THey said it was poorly made and things like that and tell you not to waste your time watching this. I didn't believe them so I watched it at the movies and I was amazed at this movie. The costumes are very cool and the sets are amazing. One set they used twice for two different cities. Ali Larter, Colin Farrell and the rest of the cast play magnificent roles. I would recomend this great movie to anyone because it makes you feel like a outlaw. This DVD is packed with loads of special features. A big two thumbs up with five stars. Go rent this movie tonight. You will not be dissapointed.

A good new western with new faces.

I enjoyed this movie. I do really enjoy a good western. This was a good western. Maybe a bit goody to be realistic but I still enjoyed the movie. I really liked that fact that all the main characters were not played by "big" name actors/actress's. New faces are always a treat especially when they are as fresh and attractive as these were. I enjoyed it, as did my teenage son, and my 9 and 3 year old daughters, so I would say this was a good family movie.

lite hearted western

this isn't too bad a movie.i would say it is mildly enjoyable.it's not exactly fast paced,but it's not quite boring either.i think it would have been better as a comedy,since it was such a lite hearted movie.the acting was OK,but nothing spectacular.it's about The James/Younger gang of the old west,led by Jesse James(Colin Farrel)it's just one interpretation of James's life,and i don't think it tries too hard to be accurate.either way,it is an interesting interpretation and it has some fun moments scattered throughout.i'd probably watch again,but it's not something i would watch over and over.for me,American Outlaws is a 6/10

Good outlaw movie

"American Outlaws" has many entertaining scenes. Its action scenes are very unique, especially the bank robberies and their plannings. Colin Ferrill gave Jesse James his intensity that he deserves. My only complaint about this movie is that the events are not very accurate to that of the real-life events. Overall, the movie in whole...4 stars, Gregory Smith's acting...5 stars

An intelligent, well-made Western

American Outlaws is set in post-civil war Missouri in which the War Between the States is over and Jesse James, his brother Frank and their cousin Cole Younger migrate home to find out their home-town of Liberty is Union-occupied territory where, if identified, ex-Confederate soldiers (like them) are executed.

Worst part of all, a corrupt railroad baron is coercing farmers in Liberty to sell their land to his railroad company at ridiculously low prices. Those that refuse to sell have their houses condemned by the U.S. Interior Department and the occupants subsequently kicked out by Federal troops.

The James household is paid a visit by the plutocrat's representatives but Frank and Jesse give them their walking papers. Only later is the James house paid a visit by Alan Pinkerton's henchmen and the results are not pretty.

The James-Younger gang is then formed to take the fight to the railroad President and Liberty's Federat occupiers. When the James-Younger gang is formed, this movie only gets better.


Despite this film's Historical inaccuracies, I liked it because of the good acting, humor, well-written script and decent music score. Prior to seeing it I thought it was going to be a copy of Young Guns. But it certainly isn't that at all and it keeps you interested the entire time.

The movie is made for entertainment and it certainly delivers!

All-in-all "American Outlaws" is a very well-made Western that, as one reviewer points out, is a showcase for some promising actors who obviously had a great time making this film. Thats all the more reason to see it and add it to your DVD collection.

Shooting Range Hidden Feature

In the special features menu, simply go to the bottom of the menu ( main menu, etc.) and go to the right with your control. A little gun symbol will appear lettting you know you're there, now just select and you will go to a menu full of sound effects of the guns in the movie.

In the second page of the behind the scenes menu, highlight stills and press left arrow twice. A train will appear. Press enter.

American Epic of Epic Proportions

Sergio Leone who? Thats right. The recently updated verion of this long-forgotten western genre is back in a big way. American Outlaws, an updated version of the story of Jesse James and his gang beautifies what we already thought was a perfect genre. In this American epic, many stars from struggling WB shows since moved to the UPN come together in a Woody Allen type cast which gels beautifully. Thier scrupulous study of the characters and time period truly help bring out an already excellent performance by such actors as Collin Farrel and Scott Caan. Although many may disagree, I will state what too many are afraid to say: films like "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly", "Tombstone", and "A Fistfull of Dollars" cannot hold a candle to the masterpiece that is American Outlaws. This reviewer would be perfectly happy to make these "Outlaws," my inlaws.

my applause to the cast & crew

Smart, energetic, funny, exciting and underrated; these are just a few adjectives that describe "American Outlaws;" a western that will take everyone by surprise. Colin Farrell is a breath of fresh air and Gabriel Macht is a pure delight as they take the reigns in one of the funniest westerns I have seen.Farrell and Macht are joined by Scott Caan, Timothy Dalton, Kathy Bates and Ali Larter whose comedic, intelligence and intense talent to create a film that is rich in character driven performances.Most of the credit must be given to the writers of "American Outlaws" because they took the western genre and created one of the most unique westerns in recent years through the addition of humor. With action-packed sequences, strong performances and smart writing; the writers made the audience look at westerns in a whole new way; clever and stylish.Though I feel originality is important in any film I see, it is not always necessary for a film to succeed. "American Outlaws" contains many cliché ridden scenes, but the true genius of this film is the presentation of the film.Inspired by actual events, "American Outlaws" takes the audience on a comedic journey through the lives of the James-Younger gang and their battle with Allan Pinkerton and the railroad.The success of "American Outlaws" partially stems from the great ensemble performance provided by Farrell, Macht, Larter, Caan, Bates and Dalton. It was apparent from the start that the "American Outlaws" cast gave maximum effort was going to take me on a satisfying comedy thrill ride through the Old West. It was clear that the cast of "American Outlaws" had fun together making the film, so when this occurs everyone is guaranteed the film will bring satisfaction.Charisma, intensity and courage; these are the elements brought to the screen by the latest breakout star. I must admit it took me awhile to get over the shock of watching a charismatic, youthful looking actor steal the spotlight from his talented co-stars, but that is exactly what occurred with Farrell in "American Outlaws." "American Outlaws" allows Farrell the opportunity to step out of the shadows into the limelight to take his place among the best young actors in Hollywood.It didn't take long to realize the discovery of the next big movie star would be found in "American Outlaws" with proof coming from Farrell's energetic and fun performance as Jesse James. I was smiling when I saw Farrell on screen because it meant the writers had created a character filled with imagination and ideas that made the movie a joy to watch.Aside from Farrell, another bright spot in "American Outlaws" shined with the emergence and second breakthrough performance turned in by his co-star, Gabriel Macht. With enormous screen presence and impact turned in by Macht, this is an actor who will soon hear his name called as a winner of the coveted academy award.Rounding out "American Outlaws" is the addition of Timothy Dalton and Kathy Bates. Commendations must given to Dalton for making the character of Allan Pinkerton a delight to watch. It didn't take me long to recognize that he was the right man for the job. With his look, demeanor and presence, Dalton confirmed my suspicions.A short appearance can sometimes be the most memorable as with the case of the actress who portrayed Ma James. Bates has always been a favorite of mine because she brings credibility to each film she stars in. With "American Outlaws," Bates role is short, sweet and to the point.The bottom line is "American Outlaws" is an underrated film that will bring everyone pure satisfaction and serve as great entertainment.

A fun, fantasy, light hearted movie about Jesse James!

You know, it makes me laugh when I read other people's negative reviews on this movie. Yeah, this movie is riddled with historical inaccuracies and all the outlaws are so darn young and good looking, but hey, that's not the point. I don't think this movie was meant to be a serious study about Frank and Jesse James. This movie was made strictly to entertain and to make people laugh.One already knows from the first five minutes into the movie that this is a comedy/action movie. I enjoyed it for what it was, mindless entertainment! Yeah, Colin Farrell is HOT! As a matter of fact, the rest of the outlaws are all very young and cute. Even if the females audience do not care much for the plot or for the cartoon violence, I'm sure they would get some visceral thrill out of seeing all these good looking young guys together on the screen. The male audience will enjoy the humor and the fight scenes and big explosions and Ali Larter, the pretty blonde actress that plays Zee. Ali Larter reminds me of the models in the old 1970s' shampoo commercials, all shiny blonde hair and big smiles.This movie was fun to watch from beginning to end. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a fun action comedy.By the way, now that the DVD is out, I hope everyone catches the deleted scenes from the movie. They are very good. It's a shame these scenes were not included into the movie, they would've showed a little more depth to the characters of Frank and Jesse James.

Not bad at all....

I watched this last weekend, and suffice to say, it was good. I didn't really know what to think, but it turns out it was enjoyable. Colin Farrell, despite recently being the tabloid whipping boy, is a dynamic actor with a sufficient albeit narrow range of character. This is also the first film I've seen timothy Dalton in since his Bond stint. The story is effective, the action delivers classical western fun, and its a neat story all around.

Not worth watching

As soon as the first scene ended, so did any desire to see this movie. The sheer amount of unrealistic action in the first scene is enough to make me feel nauseated, and the acting after the scene will finish the job. If you want a western, go watch Clint Eastwood. This movie fails miserably, it doesn't deserve another second of my time to review it.

COLIN GOES WEST

The incredibly gifted Colin Farrell once again pulls a good one: an Irishman playing Jesse James. But give the guy credit: he does a very good job, although not up to par to some of his other work (Recruit, Hart's War, Tigerland). Obviously not a fact-based work, AMERICAN OUTLAWS, under the astute direction of Les Mayfield, nonetheless is an entertaining western, filled with anachronistic dialogue and music, but also filled with heart, humor and adventure in mind. In this version, Jesse and his brother Frank (well envisioned by Gabriel Macht) and his cousins, the Youngers (Scott Caan, Will McCormack and Gregory Smith) are fighting in the Civil War where we get to see Frank's expert shooting and Jesse's wildass courage and outright idiocy! The war is now over so everyone returns home to find that the railroad companies are forcing farmers to sell them their land. Kathy Bates in a brief but memorable turn plays the James mother, and when she is killed by Pinkerton detectives, the boys take matters into their own.
Wayfield plays the gang as a Robin Hood, with typical jealousy on the part of Caan's Cole Younger. Timothy Dalton as Pinkerton seems James Bondish in his delivery and Harris Yulin pumps up the ham to play the dastardly railroad owner.
All in all, the film is as entertaining as it needs to be and even though Jesse and gang are almost beatified, they still have a little of that bad boy in them to make it believable, even though it's not!!!

don't overthink it, watch this film because it is fun

being a history student I have learned that if you want to get the truth out of what really happened and who people of the past times really were, the best way to do that is to watch films, not just Hollywood made ones. for instance, Gladiator is a film that truly speaks for Roman times, oh , and Alexander, yes of course, the Mummy too, loved that. now, seriously, I really don't see what the fuss is about. most user comments I have read were rambling nonsense about historical inaccuracy of the film. Realism in literature (art, film) may be as real as one can imagine (!), it still is fiction. come on people, we are grown-ups here, most of you anyway, so... art is always fictions, no matter how good or bad it is.now, about the film. i am not much of a western fan, not even of the good ones, great ones, unless spaghetti westerns fall into that category. but i had the greatest laughs watching this one, so much fun. didn't expect anything of the film, never heard about most of the cast, and so couldn't get disappointed, i admit that. low expectancies do pay off, in this case with a blast. this cute little film, that so obviously never wanted to be more than just pure fun, did deliver. Bates had, what, five minutes of screen time and left the most memorable impression on me. a friend and I totally quote her "Good Lord says we can bury them in the orchard out back." when ever occasion arises. Dalton too made me laugh my pants off. on the James/Younger gang, well, guys did a good job, I mean, hats down to actors who keep their faces straight to all the bs they have to say. the dialogues weren't too bad, actually quite fun, funny, and that did it. I mean, what more does anyone want. in performances I really loved Macht, he totally steels every scene he is in, he came through with a lovable character you'd take home and play with, fell for him more than for the Farrell guy. I think that Larter girl could have done it better, I laughed when ever she spoke, and not for the good reasons, shame. the rest did it presentable, funny for the right reasons. blasting things up, robbing banks, being cute and charming. don't overthink it, watch this film because it is fun and funny, nothing more nothing less, have a blast people, and for heavens sake, loosen up. if you want something mind blowing, very smart, that speaks the truths of life, read Mann, Kafka or whoever, watch films with subtitles, heh. for good fun on a lazy Sunday afternoon, lay back and enjoy American Outlaws.

Guns, guys and horses!

Ok, if you want something historically accurate this film is not for you. But its not supposed to be accurate; its supposed to entertain , and boy, it does just that!
Right from the starting scene in a civil war battlefield and on to the end, the thrills never stop. It'll have you sitting on the edge of your chair or jumping up and down in excitement all the way through!
Farrell is an excellant Jesse (and very handsome too!), set off well by Scott Caan's equally brilliant Cole Younger. When Frank and Jesse James Return to Liberty, Missouri after the civil war, they find things greatly changed. The railroad is heading West and it needs their land. Jesse and Frank refuse to sell and create a spread of rebellion throughout their village. After seeing their Ma brutally murdered by the railroad men, the James brothers join forces with the Youngers and begin careers as outlaws in order to stop the railroad's advance.
The film does have a slightly romantic edge in the form of Zie, Jesse's beautiful fiancee (Ali Larter).
American Outlaws is equal to Pirates of the Caribbean for excitement, yet being shorter it doesn't even drag in the slightest. Infact, its only fault has to be that it lacks a Jack Sparrow, but with Bob Younger's wisecracks you scarcely notice it.
If, like me, you lost your heart to the West long ago you'd be a fool to miss this film. Even if you ain't lost your heart to nobody, you'd still be a fool.
So cowboys, saddle up; Let's Ride!!

Good Solid Movie

I came upon this movie by accident while flipping channels one night. Colin Farrell of course caught my attention, but the movie kept it. Just the right blend of action and comedy. One of the best Jesse James stories to date, right behind Young Guns 2

FUN, FUN, FUN!!!

Let's face it, folks, this ain't going to win any awards. . . it's not a biography or any type of history lesson to be learned. . . it's basically a fable of sorts, meant to bring you fun, enjoyment, entertainment and a peek at some of the most sexy men playing shoot-em-up that you will ever see! I absolutely loved this film just for the sheer fun factor, the colourfulness of it and, of course, Colin Farrell!! If you've never heard of him before, take notes 'cos you'll be hearing a lot from him real soon!! Also kudos to the rest of the actors: Scott Cahn (yes, he's the son of actor James Cahn), Gabriel Macht, Ali Larter (that lucky girl gets to kiss-n-cuddle with Mr. Farrell) and many, many more you should take note of. Wonderful sites, wonderful sounds and just generally a whole lot of fun!!

A silly western

The Western genre often has unrealistic action sequences, but the producers of American Outlaws watched too many Jackie Chan movies. Young Guns (Special Edition) pulled off some outrageous stuff with a deft script, but American Outlaws leaves you laughing where you ought to be tense. Who would ever be afraid of Jesse James as played by Colin Farrell? That said, the movie works as a platform to launch new stars. It's engaging enough and has enough moments to keep a viewer's interest and has eye candy for both sexes.

The commentary shows that even movie professionals get star-struck. The people in charge should have spent less time admiring their cast and more time focused on their craft.
The Shut Mouth Society
The Shopkeeper

Breezy entertainment

I just saw "American Outlaws" last night, and I must say that I really enjoyed it a lot. I'm sure it's all over the map as far as historical accuracy is concerned, but who cares? This is a summer movie, light, breezy, and specifically designed to just entertain you, not make you think.
And that's okay! Filled with surprising plot twists and tongue-in-cheek dialogue, "American Outlaws" satisfied my expectations and, in a few instances, exceeded them.The movie's greatest asset is its casting-Colin Farrell in the lead role, along with a strong supporting cast, such as Scott Caan, Ali Larter, Timothy Dalton, and Kathy Bates, to name a few. It seemed to me that the actors had good rapport among them, and they made you believe that they were really related. To me, they were a convincing James-Younger Gang. Kudos also should go to the sound technicians, costume designers, and art directors.If you're looking for a classic Western, like "High Noon" or "Unforgiven," this doesn't qualify. But if you just want to turn off your brain for an hour and a half, "American Outlaws" will do just fine; like a cold glass of iced tea on a hot summer's day, this movie will definitely slake your thirst.