Here’s a full review of Long Shadows — a film that attempts to fuse classic Western tropes with psychological depth but doesn’t always hit the mark.
🎬 Basic Info
- Title: Long Shadows (2025) Wikipedia+1
- Genre: Western drama/thriller. Loud And Clear Reviews+1
- Director/Writer: William Shockley (feature directorial debut) Wikipedia+1
- Cast Highlights: Dermot Mulroney as Dallas Garrett, Blaine Maye as Marcus Dollar, Jacqueline Bisset as Vivian Villeré, Sarah Cortez as Dulce Flores. Wikipedia+1
- Runtime & Release: ~100 minutes; released November 7, 2025 (Limited) in the US. Rotten Tomatoes
🧩 Plot Outline
The story centers on Marcus Dollar, whose parents were murdered when he was a child. After leaving the orphanage, Marcus wanders into Tucson looking for a horse — instead he finds a brothel owner (Vivian Villeré) and a captive young woman (Dulce Flores) held there. Marcus buys her freedom, heads to his childhood home, and under the mentorship of former outlaw Dallas Garrett, wrestles with the urge for revenge. Roger Ebert+1
The film also jumps non-chronologically with frequent flashbacks and subplots: a shady brothel scheme, lawmen with grief, and the question of vengeance vs. redemption. Loud And Clear Reviews+1
👍 What Works
- Visual & setting strength: Several critics praise the look of the film — the cinematography, setting and atmosphere evoke the Old West in a tactile, dusty way. Loud And Clear Reviews+1
- Ambitious themes: The film tries to tackle more than just “revenge equals bullets” — it introduces redemption, trauma, identity, and the idea of breaking cycles of violence. FandomWire+1
- Some strong supporting work: While the leads are mixed, actors like Grainger Hines (Sheriff Tibbs) are cited as adding layers. FandomWire+1
👎 Where It Falls Short
- Story structure & pacing: The non-linear timeline, constant flashbacks and side plots make the film fragmented and harder to follow than it needs to be. Loud And Clear Reviews+1
- Character depth & performances: Leads (especially Marcus and Dulce) are critiqued for flatness or melodrama; motivations feel under-explored. Gazettely
- Unrealised potential: The psychological/modern twist is there, but many feel it doesn’t pay off — the ending and thematic reveal feel unearned. Roger Ebert+1
- Genre blend issues: Attempts to merge classic Western tropes with modern sensibilities and introspective themes leave the film in an uneasy middle ground. markreviewsmovies.com
🎯 Overall Verdict
Long Shadows is worth watching for fans of Westerns who appreciate atmosphere and thematic reach. But if you expect tight storytelling, deeply layered characters, or a polished remake of the revenge Western, it may feel frustrating or uneven.
Rating: 5.5/10
- ✅ Solid visuals and thematic ambition
- ❌ Execution doesn’t always deliver
- ❓ A film with interesting ideas, but inconsistent in craft
📝 Final Thoughts
If you’re drawn to the idea of a Western that attempts to examine trauma, choice, and legacy rather than just gunfights and frontier justice, Long Shadows will offer something interesting. But go in knowing that it may demand patience and doesn’t always cleanly tie its threads together.
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