The motivations of the characters are never straightforward and no one in Appaloosa fits neatly into a clean stereotype. Virgil is a straight-shooter but, despite his ability with a gun, he's not the most intelligent marshal in the Old West and he's not the most confident of men when away from his job. He also has a strict code about not breaking the law and will not circumvent it.

 

Everett has his own set of rules, but they aren't as rigid. Virgil might only view Everett as a companion; Everett considers the older man more than that - perhaps a mentor or even a friend. Allie isn't a traditional damsel in distress. One gets the opinion that, regardless of the situation, she'll land on her feet. With her, there are no double-standards, and Virgil understands what she represents when he promises to be there for her for as long as she needs him.

 

The film is well cast, with all of the actors being chosen for their ability to fit into the period costumes and settings without seeming out of place. One has no difficulty accepting Harris as the square-jawed marshal. Mortensen is his usual low-key self, providing an individual who is at once both heroic and humble.

Zellweger impresses not only because she's feisty but because the actress doesn't mind getting a little dirty (literally). In the dusty town of Appaloosa, she doesn't always look like she's fresh from a bath and a visit to a hairdresser.

 

Jeremy Irons recalls Richard Harris from Unforgiven, albeit without the accent. Ariadna Gil* has a nice secondary role as a barmaid who hooks up with Everett; the character is brimming with unrealized potential, but Gil brings her to our attention.

 

* C'est elle que j'aurai voulu voir à la place de Renée Z  même si elle est impecc dans son (petit) rôle de barmaid.