OUTLAWS, THE

(director/writer: Joey Palmroos, Austen Paul; screenwriter: Anders Holmes; cinematographers: Joey Palmroos, Austen Paul Schumacher; editor: Toni Tikkanen; music: Tuomas Kantelinen; cast: Eric Roberts (Bloody Tom), Dallas Hart (Tulsa), Arthur Sylense (“Wild Bill” Higgins), Jonathan Peacy (Boone), Celeste Wall (Henrietta Parker), Sterling Scott (Preacher), Liam Collins (Marshal), Jeremiah Crosby (Buck) Mason Greer (Smith); Runtime: 88; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Alecksi Hyyarinen, Joey Palmroos, Austen Paul; Saban Films; 2024)

“Too slight in story and character development to kick up any dust.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Finnish filmmaker Joey Palmroos (“Delivery Run”) and feature film first timer, Austen Paul, are co-directors, co-writers (along with Anders Holmes), co-producers and co- cinematographers of this ‘dishonor among thieves’ talky B-movie Western, that’s divided in  chapters. It’s just too slight in story and character development to kick up any dust.
 
It’s set in 1882, as it follows a gang of four train robbers in the West–the menacing leader “Wild Bill” Higgins (Arthur Sylense), the safe-cracker Boone Collins (Jonathan Peacy), the ruthless Henrietta Parker (Celeste Wall) and the mystery man Tulsa (Dallas Hart). They pull-off a robbery of gold coins, with Henrietta as a passenger on the train killing the pompous marshal (Liam Collins), trying to stop the robbery. They then travel through the wilderness to rendezvous with Wild Bill’s older brother, Bloody Tom (Eric Roberts). But while sleeping the gang is robbed by one of their own, who replaces the gold bars in the bag each is carrying in their saddlebag with rocks.

There are flashbacks on each of the four train robbers, a few decent set-pieces, but the film doesn’t have enough of an emotional bite to hang your hat on.

REVIEWED ON 7/26/2024  GRADE: C+
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