Film Review

One Ranger is like that old-school Western Thriller we used to enjoy in the John Wayne days of filmmaking. There are lawmen and there are criminals, and the lawman will stop at nothing to take down the bad guy, especially when he’s a man out of place in the area where he is hunting his prey. One Ranger feels like True Grit or even Brannigan, the John Wayne film where he’s a Chicago cop that goes to England to hunt down a criminal. This film is better because it is about a Texas Ranger doing the hunting. Texas Rangers are legendary lawmen and it makes for a much better story when one has to go to Europe to find the bad guy. It’s a bit of a predictable story, but that doesn’t matter because it’s a combination of Walker Texas Ranger meats John Wick so you’re going to get a great action movie no matter what. One Ranger is a lot of fun and yes, worth watching!

The best part of this film is Thomas Jane who really dove into the character of Texas Ranger Alex Tyree. While the accent may be a little over the top, it doesn’t take away from his rugged demeanor and action skills that make this character fun to watch, especially when he is in England. Thomas Jane brought this character to life and I don’t know if anybody else could have done it better. The film has an outstanding cast with Dean S. Jagger playing the villain and a great cameo by Patrick Bergin. Dean makes the villain very sympathetic as a freedom fighter who has lost his way, while Patrick plays the older mentor calls him out as being an agent of chaos instead of the honorable rebel that he once was. But it is the action that really makes this film worth watching. As you see in a John Wick film, it does keep you on the edge of your seat, especially with keeping up the legend of a Texas Ranger. This film certainly makes you want to see more adventures from Alex Tyree.

This film has a great premise even if it’s been done before and doesn’t always deliver. My biggest criticism is we as an audience should know more of the backstory of all these characters. Yes, we get to know them through various conversations, but flashback scenes would have been nice, especially when you’re dealing with a sympathetic villain and you want to understand his cause. Sometimes films are better off for being just a little bit longer so they can explore those backstories, but the action and the performances keep you engrossed all the way to the end. Thomas Jane gives one of the best performances as a Texas Ranger and certainly deserves to explore that character more on the big or even the small screen. And the fight scenes are fantastic. This is a fun movie to watch, it may not win any awards, but it will keep you entertained just like a classic John Wayne western. And while we don’t praise cinematography enough, the desert seems that bookend this film is magnificent. I thoroughly enjoyed this film for what it is and definitely want to see more of Thomas Jane playing Texas Ranger Alex Tyree. The film is certainly worth renting and if you’re a fan of any movie involving Texas Rangers this is definitely one you see.