Nicolas Cage Stars in a Western, and It’s Really Bad

Nicolas Cage starred in his first-ever Western last year, but given the reviews, it could also be his last.

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Every time I watch Tombstone (1993), I go on another Western binge-watching frenzy. Having viewed the film recently, I decided to take a look at some other Westerns floating around streaming services in search of more Old West-style gun-slinging action. There was a lot to choose from, encompassing all eras of filmmaking, but it was a movie from 2023 that really caught my eye.

The Old Way (2023)

The Old Way (2023) stars Nicolas Cage in his first-ever Western drama. In this story, Cage plays the character of Colton Briggs, who Rotten Tomatoes described as a "cold-blooded gunslinger turned respectable family man." However, when an outlaw with deep connections to his past murders his wife, he takes up arms once again. Only this time, he teams up with an unlikely partner—his 12-year-old daughter, played by young actress Ryan Kiera Armstrong.

The Old Way (2023) Plot Summary

SPOLIER WARNING: Proceed with caution if you haven't seen the film yet.

The movie is filled with violent confrontations in the Old West. It starts with a flashback scene of Briggs killing a young boy's father right in front of him after a skirmish in a small town. Two decades later, that same boy, James McAllister (Noah Le Gros), grows up to become a trigger-happy gunslinger with an eye for revenge.

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Fast forward a bit, and we find Briggs living on a homestead as a settled-down family man. While Briggs and his daughter head into town for the day, the gang shows up at the homestead and murders Briggs' wife. The rest of the story involves Briggs and his daughter tracking down the gang, which ends in a final showdown with McAllister. Briggs is gunned down while trying to save his daughter, who, in turn, kills McAllister with her father's gun. Yikes.

Why Was The Old Way (2023) So Bad?

While The Old Way (2023) did have some interesting action scenes, the plot was incredibly predictable. There were no surprises, and overall, all of the characters were highly unlikable. There was little character development throughout the story, so there was really no one I was hoping would get the upper hand at the end of the film. Overall, it was just bland.

When it came to the production of the movie, I have no positive comments either. The production value seemed quite low, making the film reminiscent of an old Western-style B-movie with, somehow, even worse acting. Nicolas Cage's performance was surprisingly underwhelming, and his presence just felt out of place. Now, don't get me wrong, I like Nick Cage, but I don't think Western dramas are where he shines the brightest.

Should You Watch The Old Way (2023)?

While the movie has an easy runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes, it's still a bit hard to watch, in my opinion. The film has a 5.3 rating out of 10 on Rotten Tomatoes, which almost seems too generous. In fact, it was this film that immediately killed my desire to watch any more Westerns for the foreseeable future. Maybe I should just watch Tombstone (1993) again?