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65
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43
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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
American Outlaws
Generally unfavorable reviews
Based on 26 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 23 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Western
Written by:
Roderick Taylor (also story)
John Rogers
Directed by: Les Mayfield
Release Date:
Theatrical: August 17, 2001
DVD: December 4, 2001
Running Time: 105 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: PG-13 for western violence
Starring Colin Farrell, Scott Caan, Ali Larter, Timothy Dalton, Gabriel Macht, Will McCormack, Gregory Smith, and Kathy Bates
When a Midwest town learns that a corrupt railroad baron has captured the deeds to their homesteads without their knowledge, a group of young ranchers join forces to take back what is rightfully theirs. In the course of their vendetta, they will become the object of the biggest manhunt in the history of the Old West and, as their fame grows, so will the legend of their leader, a young outlaw by the name of Jesse James. (Warner Bros.)
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Blue Streak Code Name: The Cleaner Flubber The Man
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database View The Trailer Official Studio Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas
It's a handsome and skillful retelling of a legend that imaginatively draws on conventions of both the western and the gangster movie to create an energetic yet thoughtful contemporary action-adventure.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector
Jas lots of action, drama, comedy, and corn -- and few pauses, which is striking.
Read Full Review >Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
A pretty dreadful affair -- ludicrous as history and a veritable gallery of visual cliches.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Jay Carr
At least hits a certain adrenaline level, and the stunts have panache. If you crave the ''Young Guns'' approach to the Old West, here it is again.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach
It's a sad day for film lovers when the best thing that can be said about a Western is that it's pleasant.
Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman
The best work comes from Timothy Dalton as the grizzled, Scots-accented head of the Pinkertons.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Maitland McDonagh
While movies like "The Long Riders" (1980) and "The Great Northfield, Minnesota Raid" (1972) aim to be serious considerations of the outlaws' lives and legends, this picture just wants to have fun.
Read Full Review >USA Today Susan Wloszczyna
A weak whinny of a horse opera tailor-made for those who can't quite locate "Young Guns" or "The Long Riders" in their video store.
Read Full Review >The New York Times A.O. Scott
May be simple, but it's also simple-minded; this is, after all, a movie determined to transform its Rebel soldier heroes into men of the people, making it as neglectful of politics as last summer's "Patriot," which evaded that nasty issue of slavery during the America Revolution.
Read Full Review >New York Post Lou Lumenick
Repackage clichés and stereotypes with attractive young performers in a simple-minded script that panders to the teen audience.
Read Full Review >New Times (L.A.) Luke Y. Thompson
So desperate are the filmmakers to create a "hip" western that they try to cram it with action sequences that aren't very exciting.
Read Full Review >San Francisco Chronicle Wesley Morris
This plot leaves ample room for viewers to sweat the small stuff, like whether Trevor Nunn's score is more Marines ad or deodorant commercial.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
For years there have been reports of the death of the Western. Now comes American Outlaws, proof that even the B Western is dead.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder
Not only does American Outlaws distort history, but the filmmakers have created a dull, one-dimensional pop icon out of James' complex character and legend.
Read Full Review >New York Daily News Jack Mathews
Dalton, using a Scottish brogue coarse enough to take his tongue with it, is hootably bad, and Kathy Bates, playing Ma James, is pure ham.
Read Full Review >Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez
The dumbest, most risible retelling ever made of the exploits of legendary bank robber Jesse James.
Read Full Review >Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey
As a western, American Outlaws is an utter failure. As the basis of a "Mad TV" parody, it is an unintentional hoot.
Read Full Review >Variety Robert Koehler
Sadly symbolizes the decline of the Western. The 36th bigscreen version of the exploits of the James-Younger Gang is one of the least convincing.
Read Full Review >Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek
No drama, no lyricism, just cornpone. It's too bad, because outlaws are, by their very nature, glamorous movie subjects.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Stephen Hunter
Some stories are eternal. They will not go away. They are told and retold for generations. Take the story of Jesse James --it is not one of them.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov
Instead of true grit and gutshot black-hatters, director Les Mayfield has crafted what may well be the world's first Tommy Hilfiger Western.
Read Full Review >Mr. Showbiz Kevin Maynard
Should be shot at sunrise. Or strung up by the neck from a tall tree. Or at least run out of town by a big posse.
LA Weekly John Patterson
Occasionally the Woo-inflected action sequences - particularly a horse stampede through town on hanging day, and an escape from a moving train - rouse the film from its anti-historic, even mythophobic torpor.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Michael Atkinson
Les Mayfield's unintentionally wry American Outlaws just smells -- of filmmaking manure as well as yard-sale revisionism.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Desson Thomson
There's no escaping the hackneyed plot or Mayfield's conventional hand. So don't go.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 23 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Die Clown gave it a10:
for being a newer remake of jesse james i thought it was great, I like the more up beat action than the old western spin they could have done like tombstone. But i liked tombstone too, overall it was a great movie and i own it.
Halley V. gave it a 10:
Awsome movie...i love bob he is soooooooo frigen cute and hilarious...oh bob!! lol.
Guy T. gave it a 2:
Not the worst movie I've ever seen, but definitely a stinker. Why not just parade the "stars" on screen without dialogue or story to please the teeny girls and quit pretending they are in a movie?
Kat T. gave it a 10:
Man this is the best and colin farrel is so fine.
The Mulroneycakes Kid gave it a 1:
The Western is dead. Long live the Gabriel Macht\Colin Farrell\Scott Caan Oestrogen Brigade.
Chelsea gave it a 10:
I Luv this movie it's the best of like forever and the guys are soooo HOTT!!!!!!
Dana W. gave it a 10:
Excellent, critics just plain suck!!! I saw the movie, sure. some of it was far fetched but I enjoyed it, no F word!! Im tired of the F word in movies today it seems the only word in the scripts. This movie rates with me, I loved Gabriel Macht, he was excellent!!
