Going across the Atlantic to find the lost love.
A western movie set in the 1870 United States, but entirely shot in the New Zealand. The story of a 16 year old boy, Jay, from Scotland embarks a journey in the New World in search of his love, Rose. Later a bounty hunter joins him and makes sure his safe travel. Technically, it was a road movie, but reveals the plot from the other angles as well in the spare times like during camping at the nights.
The narration was too slow and the story was ordinary, but it was enough for me to get engaged. If you wait until the final scene, especially till you figure out the puzzle of the romance theme, you may like it better. The end was so good, just like what a western movie fan looking for, a gunfight. Interestingly, that was not to be heroic, except all the earlier disasters pushed for the finale and the post finale. It is rated R, because it is so brutal in some way and for being faithful to the genre.
It might not be a dream debut for the director like the big cast, the high budget and a great commercial success, but giving a satisfying movie in a simple way was his accomplishment in his first attempt. Kodi Smith-McPhee is almost 20 and he's yet to play his independent and powerful enough character that will bring acknowledgement. It was a close one, the narration started like it was his, and he was everywhere in the movie. Then going further, especially when it nears the end, he was kind of fading. But he was awesome, along with Michael Fassbender. Not a must see, as well as not refusable if you get a chance to see it.
7.5/10