Memorable, crazy movie

A Brilliant Conflict

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

It's strange the ignorance of some people. Now here is really good movie in the western genre. Being a western movie fan who can appreciate a good story, good directing, plus beautiful cinematography. I have to say this one turned out to be a very good. Don't let someone who cannot find anything but four letter words stop you from watching.Kevin Sorbo plays well as a "cowboy" I've seen him in Avenging Angel another good western you will like the way he comes across. He's no John Wayne but who is? Lance Henriksen also does a good job. And ladies a little action for you for the women are the main story.

Genius Products recently made 3 made-for-TV westerns. Last night we saw "Aces N Eights" which I overrated at "1". "Prairie Fever" is light years better. This one has a reasonable plot, character development, and a situation you can get interested in. It does not have any of the idiot's delight tricks (jumparound camera work, bad editing, computer generated musical score) that wreck so many 2008 films.17 mail-order-brides arrive out west, but not all find bliss with the rough-n-tumble men they marry. Three are headed home, and have to be taken to the railroad at Carson (City) Nevada. The alcoholic sheriff is given the job, and the journey is the story. New westerns are few and far between, so this one might fill your need.

What to say, this film has nothing outstanding to offer. The whole story line is plain and simple as a brick. The ex-sheriff Biggs (Kevin Sorbo) became a drunkard after his wife was killed during a robbery. He has agreed to deliver three ex-wives with some serious mental issues to the railway station in the neighborous city where two of them, Blue and Lettie, were supposed to have a ride back home and the third one, Abigail, to a psychiatrical hospital or whatever. There are three pairs of additional primary story characters: card-sharps Monte James and Olivia, farmers brothers Frank and Charlie, and two criminals who have some past offences with Biggs.In general, Sorbo looked not even nearly as close as a drunkard, though he tried hard. The same applied to all three ex-wives who didn't look real crazy. Farmers and criminals behaved like no-brainers. A real joy was to watch the card-sharps: Monte James (Lance Henriksen) and Olivia (Jamie Anne Allman) have made this film, not Sorbo definitely. Without them this boring western wouldn't score even 4 out of 10.

A western hero can fearlessly out-drink and out-shoot everyone without ever getting drunk or missing. In the rare cases when he does get drunk or - God forbid - may even become A drunk, he still never misses, sobers up with no relapses - usually helped along by a beautiful saloon-lady with a colourful past and a golden heart, meant to be mainly a decorative accolade to the story - and gets to shoot all bad guys single-handedly in the final show-down, that traditionally happens either at dawn or - naturally - at high noon.Well, not this time.We have the saloon-lady and she's beautiful, 'golden-hearted' and provided with a colourful past all right, but she's not alone: there are a fierce bible-quoting dragon of a woman, a sobbing, hysterical, agoraphobic, but sweet and naive cry-baby as well as an awesome, mad, ferocious pianist turned farmer's wife turned man-killer joining her for a long ride meant to take all of them out of the prairie, that drove them nuts, and back to civilisation. They are being accompanied by the former sheriff of the town they want to leave behind, a guy who, attempting to stop some bank-robbers, accidentally shot his wife instead, drowning ever since in self-pity, guilt and whiskey. Forced to accept the assignment of getting the ladies back home, he embarks on the journey of his life, gets nearly driven out of his mind by the company he has to keep, sobers up (when his bottles get smashed), discovers his... more feminine side, gets shot, heals, makes friends out of harpies and finds hope, a new purpose in life and true love, despite of staying to the bitter end respectful of dangers, reluctant to risk any other life but his and finally getting by without having to kill anyone.All of this in less than 90 minutes, which makes the entire thing seem a bit rushed, despite the noticeable attempt of the film to take its time. Unfortunately it doesn't have any, an impression stressed by a rather random editing and a not always very confident directing.The story and the acting though more than make up for this. Kevin Sorbo oscillating between exasperation and gentleness is definitely worth seeing, his whiskey-drenched, yet dry-humoured Mr Biggs an endearing and welcome addition to the traditional fallen, but somehow miraculously scrambling-back-to-their-feet heroes of the Old West (although I did miss occasionally his usual, contagious playfulness). And equally worth seeing are Lance Henriksen's remarkably relaxed and somehow charming villain, Jillian Armenante's gruff, dangerous and ultimately deeply touching shrew, as well as Dominique Swain's quite fascinating Abigail. The rest of the cast is solid, but remains a little pale.