From Shane Conto

Who is the most famous figure in the Old West? Wyatt Earp just might be the most prototypical lawman in all of Western mythology. There have been plenty of films that tell his story (and the story of his brothers). Earp was even a figure in early cinema and gave his perspective to Westerns of the time. The legend of the O.K. Coral is one of the most talked about shootouts in all of the American West. Great actors like Henry Fonda portrayed Earp in early cinema. But in 1993, Hollywood was on a pulpy Western kick (that started in the 1980s) and audiences were treated to the big scaled and action heavy Western, Tombstone. George P. Cosmatos and company brought this film to the big screen with a larger-than-life story to tell. 

What is the most impactful and memorable aspect of Tombstone? There is an insanely rich and deep cast of actors who fill out this film. Kurt Russell is a swaggering and intense version of Earp. His mustache is incredible and this is not the type of man you want to mess with (thanks to the intensity of Russell’s performance). The duo of Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton make for great supporting terms with Elliott as Virgil Earp and Paxton as Morgan Earp. But the real live wire of Tombstone has to be the truly swaggering and dangerous Doc Holliday. Who brings this iconic character to life? Val Kilmer. He was one of the most important upcoming actors of the time and he injects so much charisma into his performance. Swaggering, flamboyant, and dangerous, Kilmer delivers so well. The likes of Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn, Charlton Heston, Stephen Lang, Thomas Haden Church, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Rooker, Harry Carey Jr, and so many more film out this who’s who of Hollywood cast. 

Does Cosmatos bring the goods in terms of the entertaining aspects of the film? The action is certainly key. There are some big, fun sequences in the film that have plenty of thrills. The most iconic sequence of course is the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.  The bullets go flying and flames capture the backdrop. The action is shot with such a visceral approach and the violence is so brutal that despite its couple of minutes of screentime, this sequence sticks with you long after. There is an intense montage of frontier justice and cowboys running in fear that will grab your attention. The second most iconic moment to enjoy is Doc Holliday’s last stand. Kilmer’s performance is delightfully fun and this moment is iconic. 

But what makes this such a special film? For a film that came out in the 90’s, this feels like a classic western. The action might be more intense and visceral than you might expect from an old school western but it has all the other trappings that you want. When Robert Mitchum starts his narration, you get this classic Hollywood feel and it works so well. Wyatt Earp is a classic western lawman with a code and a perfect mustache to boot. There is some old school romance thrown in that has some classic charm to it. The shootouts. The period costumes and old West town setting. It all just comes together in such a fun nostalgic way. This might be a little too traditional for some but Tombstone is a modern classic that captures the spirit of this classic genre.

Tombstone is streaming on Hulu and various other platforms.

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