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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.

American Outlaws
Warner Bros.


8.5

based on 26 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 23 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

FILM:

MPAA 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.)

GENRE(S):	Western
WRITTEN BY:	Roderick Taylor (also story) John Rogers
DIRECTED BY:	Les Mayfield
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: December 4, 2001 Video: December 4, 2001 Theatrical: August 17, 2001
RUNNING TIME:	105 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

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.

Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector

Jas lots of action, drama, comedy, and corn -- and few pauses, which is striking.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

A pretty dreadful affair -- ludicrous as history and a veritable gallery of visual cliches.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

Repackage clichés and stereotypes with attractive young performers in a simple-minded script that panders to the teen audience.

Entertainment Weekly Staff (Not credited)

Bogusly wholesome six-gun dud.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez

The dumbest, most risible retelling ever made of the exploits of legendary bank robber Jesse James.

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.

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.

Salon.com Stephanie Zacharek

No drama, no lyricism, just cornpone. It's too bad, because outlaws are, by their very nature, glamorous movie subjects.

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.

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.

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.

Village Voice Michael Atkinson

Les Mayfield's unintentionally wry American Outlaws just smells -- of filmmaking manure as well as yard-sale revisionism.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

There's no escaping the hackneyed plot or Mayfield's conventional hand. So don't go.

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!!

American Outlaws Warner Bros.

American Outlaws
Warner Bros.