Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		2.5

Wyatt Earp Blu-ray Movie Review

An overly long western epic finds a home on Blu-ray

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 19, 2007

I wake up every morning looking in the face of death and you know what? He ain't half bad.

I'll admit: I am a sucker for the all-star cast. This is the third film I have reviewed that manages to put together a cast of some of the best Hollywood has to offer (The Dirty Dozen and Young Guns being the others). Wyatt Earp stars Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman (one the greats of his time), Mark Harmon, Michael Madsen, Bill Pullman, and Tom Sizemore, to name a few. Unfortunately, almost all of them seem to be miscast. Perhaps it's my admitted bias towards Tombstone, a similar film that also boasts an all-star cast, on par or maybe even better than what we get in Wyatt Earp, but I could never quite buy the likes of Costner, Quaid, and Madsen as old west lawmen, especially compared to their Tombstone counterparts, Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, and Sam Elliott. Gene Hackman as Wyatt's father was, as expected, wonderful, and one of the few who managed to pull off a convincing role. Costner was even nominated for a Razzie award for worst actor for this role. While I certainly don't believe that nomination was justified, I do feel his portrayal of Wyatt Earp was rather flat and uninspired. Lawrence Kasdan's vision of the story is not bad. It's just not Tombstone, and that's the problem. Wyatt Earp was released some six months after Tombstone, a film that grossed double the box office compared to its counterpart. Perhaps it was having seen a version of the story so recently in Tombstone and a subsequent "burn out" over the tale, or perhaps it was poor word of mouth that led to the lackluster showing of Wyatt Earp at the box office. Nevertheless, Wyatt Earp is currently the only one of the two available on a high-definition format, so those needing their fill of westerns will likely be interested in this one.

"Take this Kurt Russell!"

This is the story of legendary lawman Wyatt Earp. One of the primary differences between Wyatt Earp and Tombstone is that this film delves into Wyatt's past. The first act of the film deals with Wyatt's upbringing. A teenager at the time of the Civil War, Wyatt attempts to sneak off to war to join his brothers, James and Virgil. Before he can leave, he is caught by his demanding father Nicholas (Gene Hackman). Wyatt is convinced to stay home and moves with the family to California. After several years, Wyat returns to his home state of Missouri where he marries his longtime love Urilla (Annabeth Gish). Almost immediately after the two marry (in movie time), she contracts typhoid fever and perishes. Wyatt descends into a state of inebriation, losing all he has in the process. As the years go by and Wyatt once again lands on his feet, he meets the Masterson brothers, Ed and Bat (Bill Pullman and Tom Sizemore). After more moving around the country working as lawmen in various towns, meeting new women and Doc Holliday (Dennis Quaid), Wyatt ends up in Tombstone, Arizona where he is ultimately named marshall. It is from here that the tale of Wyatt Earp becomes more familiar to us, having seen it represented in films such as Tombstone and Gunfight at the O.K. Coral.

What we get with Wyatt Earp is a biopic of the famed lawman's life. It certainly delves much farther into the lore and history behind the man than any version I have seen. As you can see, the film meanders quite a bit. To say the plot is convoluted is a major understatement. There is almost too much going on here with too many characters to keep track of (not to mention they often dress and look very similar), even for a 3+ hour film. There is never a consistent pace to the film and I frankly found myself bored at several points throughout the movie, some action sequences included. There is certainly good reason for the inclusion of the rather lengthy buildup. The extensive character study reveals and affirms Wyatt's motives and thought processes later in the film, but nevertheless I feel that this film could have been condensed a good 30-40 minutes and have been more successful. Even by the time Wyatt's first wife dies of typhoid, we know so little about her (and Wyatt, for that matter) that it's frankly hard to feel the sense of loss Kasdan was trying to convey by having the marriage and death so close together. It's devastating to Wyatt to be sure, but not so much for an audience still searching for a rhythm almost 45 minutes into the movie.

Wyatt Earp Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Warner Brothers presents Wyatt Earp in 1080p high definition, framed in its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio. What we get here is a decent video presentation, one that looks fine but has some intrinsic flaws that keep this disc from receiving a higher score. The print itself is pretty clean. There are not many scratches or pops in it. I did not notice much noise, either. The image is especially soft, however, through the majority of the runtime. Colors, especially during indoor scenes and at night, are muted and drab, though I would venture to say that this is the director's intent. I noticed some aliasing here and there, and blacks did not impress. Darker scenes especially appeared to be more gray than black. This is definitely not a three dimensional looking image. It certainly lacks the depth and vibrancy we have come to expect from the better Blu-ray releases. Overall this is an acceptable image but it's not one of the better ones I have seen.

Wyatt Earp Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Following the rule rather than the exception, Warner has included no lossless audio track on Wyatt Earp. The included Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is pleasant on the ears and it never overly disappoints sonically, but it never reaches the upper echelon of Blu-ray soundtracks either, even among its Dolby Digital 5.1 only counterparts. It sounds pretty good overall, but I can only wonder what a difference a lossless track could have made. Nevertheless, this is a fine audio presentation as-is. Surrounds are used somewhat sparingly but effectively when they come into play. Dialogue is generally handled well, though I noticed a few instances where it was muddled and difficult to make out. Bass is solid but at times underwhelming. Some shots where one would expect a heavy, foundation rumbling "thump" came through rather punily, emanating more from the center channel than the subwoofer. The front soundstage is quite active. All three channels are discrete, sounds flows naturally, and sounds are well-placed across the front. My favorite aspect of the soundtrack was the score by James Newton Howard (Batman Begins). The first word that came to mind when listening to the score over the opening credits was "quintessential." This score just sounds like it belongs in an epic movie and it's one of the better scores out there. This was the first time I have heard it and it won't be the last. Bravo.

Wyatt Earp Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

A rather weak offering of supplements compliment Wyatt Earp. There are two Behind the Story featurettes. It Happened That Way (480p, 14:03) is a reference to the final line of the film. This is a basic behind-the-scenes look into the story of the making of the film, it's meaning, and Wyatt's journey from "innocence to earned knowledge." Participants include Lawrence Kasdan, Gene Hackman, Kevin Costner, Dennis Quaid, and others. Walk With a Legend (480p, 22:41) is billed as a "vintage making-of TV special." It is hosted by Tom Skerritt and is a look at some of Hollywood's more memorable films such as How the West Was Won, Spartacus, Ben-Hur, The Spirit of St. Louis, and others. It also contains a look forward to the then yet-to-be-released Wyatt Earp. This is a very well-done special and worth a look for anyone interested in the history of some of cinema's finest films.

Eleven "lifted scenes" are available. All are presented in 480p and the total runtime is 17:58. Each comes with a text-based introduction to the scene. A 480p theatrical trailer for Wyatt Earp concludes this disappointing set of extras.

Wyatt Earp Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Wyatt Earp isn't a bad film. It's fairly entertaining, but it drags on for too long and never reaches the same level of excellence as some of the more recent westerns such as Unforgiven, Open Range, and the similarly themed Tombstone. Perhaps my biggest complaint, other than the flow and runtime, was that few of the actors were believable as old west lawmen. Costner, Pullman, Sizemore, and Quaid, all fine actors, just couldn't pull it off in the end. Warner Brothers once again disappoints with an average looking picture, a substandard Dolby Digital 5.1 track (they should be taking advantage of the medium and including a lossless option), and a slim selection of supplements. I'd recommend Wyatt Earp as a rental only.