Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Red Rock West Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 24, 2024

Career-wise, Nicolas Cage was in a strange place in the early 1990s. Finding himself elevated to star status with 1987’s “Raising Arizona” and “Moonstruck,” Cage struggled to maintain momentum, caught between his interest in strange projects (“Vampire’s Kiss,” “Zandalee”) and more visible Hollywood titles (“Fire Birds,” “Honeymoon in Vegas”). For 1993’s “Red Rock West,” Cage finds a comfortable middle ground, participating in a noir exercise from co-writer/director John Dahl (who clearly loves the subgenre), delivering a measured lead performance with a few thespian explosions along the way. Cage is the glue that keeps “Red Rock West” together, providing dramatic support for a screenplay that’s a little too wild with turns at times, but remains an engrossing viewing experience with a terrific sense of escalation in its first half.

Michael (Nicolas Cage) is a man hunting for work, driving from Texas to Wyoming with hopes of finding employment. An injured leg ruins his plan, left in the small town of Red Rock without any hope. Without cash and opportunity, Michael steps into the Red Rock Bar for a coffee, greeted by Wayne (J.T. Walsh), who mistakes the stranger for Lyle, a hitman he’s hired to murder his wife, Suzanne (Lara Flynn Boyle). Michael doesn’t correct Wayne, taking a pile of cash and traveling to Suzanne to inform her of Wayne’s malice. The targeted woman provides more money for Michael to kill Wayne, putting the man from Texas in a tight situation, eager to keep the cash and leave town. On his way out of Red Rock, Michael accidentally hits a man while driving in the rain. Bringing him to the local hospital for help, Michael learns the battered pedestrian has already been shot, leaving him with few options to escape unnoticed.

The key to Michael’s arc in “Red Rock West” is that he’s an honest guy. He’s not doing well physically, working with a leg injury from his military career, and he’s struggling financially, watching his latest chance for work disappear. However, he’s not tempted by crime, understanding that’s pure trouble for a guy like him. The screenplay offers early temptations for the character, testing his resolve, but the story locks into position when Wayne puts $1,000 in front of the Texan, tasking Michael to murder for quick money. Of course, he has no intention of following through on the job, and “Red Rock West” really gets cooking once he meets with Suzanne, who piles on more cash to kill Wayne. It’s the stuff of prime noir, and these complications power the picture’s first hour, putting Michael in the line of fire as he tries to leave Red Rock with easy money, only to find himself trapped in a knotted situation of accidents, mistaken identity, and murder.

“Red Rock West” is a modest thriller, largely working with volatile characters gradually realizing the trouble they’re in. Dahl looks to supercharge the midsection of the movie with an awkward sex scene, and Dennis Hopper joins the story as Lyle, the man actually hired by Wayne to kill Suzanne. Hopper is Hopper in the feature, all wild and irrational, but he brings some needed energy to the endeavor, providing extra threat as Michael is confronted with the depth of his mistake, which repeatedly returns him to the danger of Red Rock. There’s great fun in this push to survive, and the writing creates an inviting tangle of motivations and escape attempts, with alliances formed and broken, while Michael spends most of the story trying to keep up with all the new developments in his Red Rock nightmare.

Red Rock West Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Red Rock West" is listed as a "new 4K restoration from the 35mm interpositive." The viewing experience delivers a satisfactorily textured look at frame particulars in the feature, including skin surfaces on the cast, with wear and tear preserved. Costuming is decently fibrous, exploring thicker denim and suits. Interiors retain decorative additions, with a nice sense of room depth, and exteriors maintain dimension, reinforcing the expanse of the locations. Color is direct, with crisp denim blues and hotter red lights. Blueish night action is also intact. Greenery is distinct, and skin tones are natural. Delineation is preserved, with a clear sense of shadow play and evening standoffs. Grain is heavy but capably resolved. Source is in good condition.

Red Rock West Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is listed as the "original" track for "Red Rock West," and it delivers a pleasingly wide sense of screen activity. Dialogue exchanges are crisp, offering a balanced appreciation of acting choices and angry outbursts. Scoring retains a delicate acoustical guitar sound, and more suspenseful stretches are appreciable. Sound effects are sharp and atmospherics are satisfactory.

Red Rock West Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (40 pages) contains essays by Jourdain Searles, Keith Phipps, and Justin LaLiberty.

• Commentary features film historian Alain Silver and filmmaker Christopher Coppola.

• "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" (26:33, HD) is an interview with co-writer/director John Dahl (a few, brief sound issues are encountered), who shares his introduction to noir films, using that inspiration to bring "Red Rock West" to life. The formation of the script is recalled, with influences coming from all places, helping to shape the mistaken identity plot and unusual characters. The interviewee walks though story points, recalling the turns of the writing, also identifying characterizations along the way. Casting is highlighted, including a mistake with Dennis Hopper, who was originally meant to play a different part, only to fall in love with Lyle, forcing a happy change on the production. Thespian quirks with Nicolas Cage are also identified. Stunt work is celebrated, helping to add some action to the production, and locations are identified, with Dahl building a few sequences from multiple places. The helmer closes with a brief mention of a deleted scene.

• "Neon and Dust" (17:17, HD) is an interview with co-writer Rick Dahl, who shares his moviegoing upbringing, getting into the world of spaghetti westerns, merging fandom with his brother, John, and his love of noir. Casting is examined, with Bridget Fonda and Matt Dillon first imagined in the lead roles. Nicolas Cage's commitment to the part and its cinematic influences is identified, and Dahl shares casting tales for Lara Flynn Boyle and Dwight Yoakam. Shooting locations are examined, with the cemetery finale shot inside an airplane hangar. The interviewee analyzes Michael's arc, struggling to find an ideal end for the character, and he shares some memories of post-production choices and forced reshoots.

• Interview (21:48, HD) is a video conference discussion of "Red Rock West" with editor Scott Chestnut. Topics include an initial connection with director John Dahl, the editor's work with film and video, his experience on "Red Rock West," creative choices, the initial cancellation of the theatrical release, and the picture's cult longevity.

• "Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures" (13:46, HD) is a video essay by Chris O'Neill.

• "Caged In" (9:19, HD) is a video essay by Petros Patsilivas.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Red Rock West Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The last act of "Red Rock West" slows down to inspect the mess Michael is in, trading livelier dangers for a prolonged standoff that plays directly into noir formula, but feels a little deflated as the characters hunt for hidden money, slowing down the speed of suspicion. It remains a satisfying closer due to terrific performances and moody cinematography by Marc Reshovsky, and the endeavor remains supported by Cage's turn as Michael. He's wonderfully committed to the ride of horror Dahl has prepared, limiting Cage-isms with a semi-subtle turn that keeps viewers involved in the character's moral and physical journey. This battle of the mind and body elevates "Red Rock West," becoming a career highlight for the actor during his weird professional adventure through the 1990s.