Review of Godless: The Classic Western Returns with The Vengeance of God by KOOGE
KweliWorks Empowerment Broadcasting Network/TV KweliWorks
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Review of Godless: The Classic Western Returns with The Vengeance of God by KOOGE
All great Hollywood western are epic morality tales that have at least ten key components:
1. A crystal clear life and death struggle between Good and Evil where evil bullies use ruthless violence (murder, rape, bribery, torture, sex, money and robbery) to corrupt officials, hire fast guns and engage in dirty deals to exploit, steal, seize and create wealth and power before the arrival of institutionalized law, order, and justice.
2. Hardworking, good-hearted, long-suffering, self-sacrificing citizens (usually farmers, ranchers or miners) who ultimately must band together to defend themselves and their property against man-made or natural disasters or perish.
3. People who out of fear, greed or jealousy betray their friends.
4. A Hero who is seeking to bring justice to an untamed land against all the odds.
5. Women and children who are in jeopardy;
6. Villains who in addition to being incredibly cruel are extremely difficult to kill.
7. A courageous hero who must overcome incredible obstacles and unfair disadvantages;
8. A romantic if unrequited and unconsummated love story;
9. All against widescreen backdrop of awesome, beautiful, unspoiled and untamed wilderness: and
10. A magnificent and big soundtrack that is at once haunting and inspiring.
Godless religiously follows these script points. In fact, It takes the plot of several the best westerns of all time and mashes and twist their story so that the overall work is realistic, relevant and contemporary. This is the Magnificent Seven meets Shane meets the Searchers meets Unforgiven, meets Silverado meets Red River. Imagine Magnificent Seven without the seven outside male rescuers, Shane without the husband competing for the affections of the bored and lonely frontier wife, The Searchers where the kidnapped white girls are rescued by the Indians and treated humanely, Unforgiven where the unethical journalist sets up the legendary conflict rather than simply documents it, Silverado where the guys with guns are gals who shoot straight and Red River where the father and son conflict is more beyond bloody.
This 2017 made for Netflix cable and internet TV premiered in November.
The Plot
One of the meanest and nastiest villains in the West, a self-anointed sociopathic self-righteous preacher Frank Griffin, leads a nasty band of misfits, murders, rapist and often deranged crew on a bloody reign of terror, robbery and revenge as he seeks revenge against his adopted son for disrespected and stealing from him. His path of destruction ultimately and inevitably leads him and his crew to Belle a town with few men are left alive due to an unfortunate mining accident. However, like in most great works, it is not the destination but the journey and characters that hold your interest and captivate the mind. So is the case here.
The Characters
All the characters are strong. The West is usually a man’s world. And this movie has its share of good and evil men who are all larger-than-life men’s men.
? By far the most interesting, intriguing and complex character is Frank Griffin, played by Jeff Daniels, a Doc, a preacher, a murderous outlaw who is terrorizing, teaches and preaches his way through the West as he relentlessly hunts down his son and former adopted/kidnapped protégé in crime-Roy Goode.
? Roy Goode. Played by Jack O’Connell, although introduced as a Happy helpful, injured mysterious stranger, who although an outlaw we know is really a good person by his name alone. He was kidnapped as an abandoned boy, kidnapped and raised by the sociopath father image Frank Griffin. When he gets older, he realizes that he is on the wrong path with a criminal mind and tries to do the right thing at great cost to himself and others. He is also a horse whisperer, as well, who has a plan for making his benefactor profitable and happy. No surprise here you see the relations coming from a mile away, and it takes quite a while to happen. In a typical weapon Roy Goode would be the hero of the film, and although he is heroic, he is not the straw that stirs the drink.
? Sam Waterson is Marshal John Cook, the law in Santa Fe. He is the classic bashful stoic lawman who courageous sets out in pursuit of the criminal gang even when his posse desserts him. He typically would have been the hero driving the story. However, that is not his fate.
? Bill McNee, the aging sheriff of La Belle with failing eyes, is another Bashful, stoic, hero and determined lawman who in spite of heroic efforts is not the emotional center of the
? Thomas Brodie-Sangeter plays Whitey Winn, the Superstar kid deputy with the fancy, fast and accurate guns who gets jungle fever when he sees a hot black girl. Courageous as he is, he has no real instinct for survival. He is lovable yet not the heart of the movie.
? Kim Coates plays Ed Logan, as a Warrior. He is the personification of the chauvinist, arrogant and abrasive company man who comes into La Belle a town where most of the men have been killed in a tragic mining to exploit and intimidate the town folk (mostly women) with a sense of entitlement that would make Trump blush.
However, the heart and soul of the movie is found in four strong, fascinating female characters who are sexual and action subjects, not objects. All four woman are Warriors. Men soon discover it would be unwise and unhealthy not to take them seriously. They are not superwomen, but they are all thoughtful, self-assured feminist before feminism became a thing.
? Michelle Dockery plays Alice Fletcher, the tough white woman Warrior widowed horse rancher and mother of a Paiute Indian. She has no trouble standing down a mob or sheriff with her rifle, taking justice into her own hands in shooting first and asking question later. She steals the movie from the male leads.
? Merritt Wever plays Mary Agnes McNue, the Warrior widow of the late mayor of La Belle, who has taken to acting, talking, dressing and thinking like a man since most of the men in town died. She takes a female lover and is, by the way, is the fastest gun in town. She is tough with a heart of gold. Her character is unapologetic, natural and authentic. She single-handedly steals the movie from all the men and women.
? Tess Frazer plays Callie Dunne, a former prostitute, current teacher and lover of Mary Agnes McNue. She is comfortable and clear about who she is, who she was and her future.
? Tantoo Cardinal play Iyovi, Alice's no-nonsense tough Indian (Paiute) mother-in-law. She steals every scene she is in with her dignity and kickass directness. Turns out she has killer hunting skills as well.
The movie has its share of stereotype man-hungry, man pleasing and subservient women who would have been typical for the time. It may be a man’s world, but these four women make it special. They are the harbingers of the change that we know is coming without being too preachy.
R station in life. Each of these character plays a pivotal role in the plot.
The Best Scene
In a movie filled with epic scenes from an entire town lynched including children to a single fugitive holding off 30 deadly killers with a long distance rifle from behind a horse, he shoots at full gallop the best scene are the small one. In this case, the outlaw horse whisperer Rob Goode encourage Alice’s son to get back on a horse after it has thrown him against his worse fears. Rob silently holds the mother back from intervening knowing that if she rescues her son, he will never become the man she wants him to be.
The Worse Scene
There is a moment before the final confrontation when Mary Anges McNue volunteers that they will be lucky to survive the attack. This is so wrong on three different levels. First: the confrontation of Good and Evil is never decided by luck in a morality tale in life or the movies. Second: male nor female Warriors do not whine about the outcome of a battle especially on the eve of battle. They may be wrong, but they are never in doubt about their victory. That is the job of Happys and Melancholys. Third: Luck favors the prepared mind. Mary was prepared and in charge of her fate and knew it.
The Message
Man inhumanity to man can only be stopped when enough decent people make a stand. And never underestimate the power of women united against all the odds.
Social Significance
This is not a movie about the women’s liberation movement. It is a movement about how a woman and a few good men in a particular preliberation era struggled against oppression in spite of barbarism empower themselves and tame the west. And, how the sisterhood works as a secret subculture and support system in a man’s world. There is also an interesting, socially significant and fact-based side plot that could have been a movie on its own about Buffalo soldiers (courageous African-American Indian fighter veterans) who founded a black town that struggles because of the indifference of their white neighbors. While the potential is there for a promising and inspiring alliance story line, it ultimately leads to no more than collateral damage.
Ratings
Rotten Tomatoes rates it 90% but most of the critics suggest it does not break any new ground. I disagree. I give it 4 ? stars out of 5. Multiple women empowering themselves and not depending on men alone in a western while remaining true to tradition is extraordinary new ground. I would have given it five if they had not dropped the ball on dealing with the black folks.
Precautionary Note
Godless in the title does not mean what you may think it means – There is no God. It means worse. In the eyes of the key villain, Frank, anyone who crosses him should abandon all hope because he has no mercy and God has shown little interest in interfering with Frank’s unholy reign of terror and villainy. While the story contains violence, it is not gratuitous. But, it is extremely dark and over the top. The movie opens with the disturbing visual aftermath of an entire town having been murdered including the rape of its women and the lynching of its children. No, I would not suggest children under 16 to watch it as entertainment. If seeing women in love with each other usually makes you uncomfortable this is not your movie. However, if you are open-minded, this movie handles its lesbian love story with such class, rhythm, and humanity its transcends sexual preference. If you have a heart, you will find yourself not only understanding, but root for the female lovers to overcome the universal challenges of love and relationship in a dangerous world were lives are hard and cheap with few options for those that do not fit in. As slow as the movie is to develop and slower in revealing its backstories. However, the fill is always rewarding, and you will miss it when it is over. You will want to know what happens to the women next. Hopefully, there will be a sequel.