Movie Reviews
THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT Review
![THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT Review THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT Review](https://movieguide.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MV5BNDZlMDZmYWItOGJkNC00NzMxLTlkOTEtODI3MzA4NmFiNWI1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjM5Mzk4NzM@._V1_.jpg)
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:
Strong Christian, moral, pro-family worldview promotes family, parental love and loyalty, a strong father and mother, boys begin to recite the Lord’s Prayer in one scene, and friendship between friendly American Indians and settlers, but there is some revisionist history such as title character’s first wife was actually dead at the time of the story, and he had already married a second time and had more than just two sons and movie says Davy Crockett at first supported President Andrew Jackson controversial Indian Removal Act, but he actually opposed it from the beginning and belonged to the opposing party to Jackson’s Democrat Party, plus the movie is marred by a politically correct attitude of moral equivalence;
Foul Language:
One “d” word;
Violence:
[SPOILERS FOLLOW] Strong and light violence such as villain has young boy whipped for walking too slowly, villain sets fire to family’s home, man falls off horse and is impaled by sharp stick, man shoots injured horse when they’re menaced by wolves, man shoots a racoon for a meal, Indian chases man, and then man fights three other Indians trying to kill the first Indian, man saves Indian from falling over a cliff, villains invade a family’s cabin and kidnaps the two boys, father fights villain and his men, villains beat up title character, man shot off horse, man stabbed in stomach, Indian who befriended father earlier and his tribal men attack villains too at an opportune moment;
Sex:
No sex;
Nudity:
No nudity; Alcohol: No alcohol use;
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:
No smoking or drugs; and,
Miscellaneous Immorality:
Fur trader steals from his employees’ earnings and kidnaps Davy Crockett’s boys for the purpose of indentured servitude.
THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT which has been released to theaters, follows the life of the king of the wild frontier, Davy Crockett. THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT creates a moral, inspiring, patriotic representation of the folklore hero Davy Crockett with action packed sequences and intense displays of violence. While there are some accurate depictions of 19th Century frontier life, the story is riddled with inaccuracies and a more idealistic and romantic view of the world and society at the time.
The movie begins with Davy Crockett as a Congressman in a meeting with President Andrew Jackson and his cabinet discussing the President’s plans to pass an Indian removal bill. Each member signs their petition to support the President. However, when it’s Davy’s turn to sign, he is reluctant but eventually caves due to pressure from the President. Before more discussion of the Jackson’s agenda can be planned, Davy receives a letter from his wife, Polly, that she has fallen ill. Davy immediately excuses himself much to the chagrin of the President who tries to manipulate Davy into staying. Unabated, he departs the meeting and begins his journey west to Tennessee.
Meanwhile, back at home, his two boys are having a difficult time taking care of the homestead. From cutting wood to shooting muskets, they are novices at almost every task, which begs the question why Davy would leave them in charge in the first place?
During these events, the movie follows the dealings of the Northern Fur Trading Company boss, Caleb. A greedy, conniving, arrogant person, Caleb discovers that this month’s beaver pelt quota is short by 25 pelts. Reactively, he takes out his outrage on one of the first men he sees, who is short this month, by firing him and leaving him with no belongings. Determined to find the pelt thief, Caleb searches the surrounding areas for all leads.
While galloping home, Davy Crockett falls from his horse and is impaled by a sharp branch. Disoriented and in pain, he observes that wolves are lurking nearby, ready to attack. Upon noticing the predators, Davy’s frightened horse sprints off to avoid being eaten. However, instead of trying to calm the horse down or scare the wolves away, Davy takes out his musket and mercy kills his own horse to avoid falling prey to the ravenous wolves. With leg bleeding out, Davy succumbs to bodily limitations and passes out.
Back home, the boys see that their mother is getting worse, so they begin to recite the Lord’s Prayer. The younger asks the older if he can pray to which the older allows. As they pray, “Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be your Name,” the scene shifts to an unconscious Davy under the dark rainy night of the Tennessee sky. As if the prayers echoed into his ear, Davy miraculously awakes and makes a fire in the cold wet night.
The next few scenes try to display Davy Crockett’s skills as a frontiersman and trapper. He is seen building a shelter, shooting a racoon for a meal, and even capturing a wild horse that happened to not run away, not even once. Once the horse is captured and broken (rather quickly), he continues his journey.
As if the journey home could not be more exciting, Davy encounters a lone native traveling on the same path as him. Abruptly, and without warning, a chase begins as the lone native rides after Davy along a narrow path through the woods. The pursuit seems to go on slowly until Davy ditches his horse and sprints up a hill to catch his pursuer off guard.
The lone native, seeing that the trail runs cold, jumps off his horse to look around. Immediately, he is cornered by three other natives from a different tribe, who appear out of nowhere, like ghosts. Seeing that his then single attacker is now fighting for his own life, this leads to another decision in Davy Crockett’s journey. Instead of turning his back on his outnumbered attacker, he helps by firing a musket round as a warning shot. This action immediately puts him on the hit list of this new war party. This leads to a fight and then chase scene between Davy and his lone ally and the three marauding tribesmen.
The hunt comes to a cliff hanging halt when Davy’s former attacker, now ally, falls over off a cliff but is barely saved by Davy’s outstretched arm. With a miraculous amount of time on their hands, Davy lifts his lone ally to safety and then sneaks away from their marauding pursuers. After this, the two of them depart from each other in peace.
While this is commencing, Caleb and one of his goons track down the missing beaver pelt to the Crockett family’s cabin and bangs on the door, demanding to be admitted. Davy’s oldest son readies his musket and fires a shot as the door is busted open. He misses and now the whole house is taken hostage by Caleb and his goon. After much arguing and fighting Caleb says they will wait for the boy’s father’s arrival to settle the debt. While all this is happening, Polly, apparently too ill, remains asleep in the small cabin despite the gunfire and loud commotion.
The next day, more of Caleb’s men arrive to provide backup to him and his right-hand man. As they are outside discussing things, Polly finally stirs awake and readies her musket that had been hiding under her blanket. She tells the boys to run and find Pa. Once one of Caleb’s men enters, she fires her shot, wounding him and yelling for the boys to run. They manage to escape through all Caleb’s men and make their way to Davy Crockett, who’s now nearby. However, they are all quickly taken as hostages, as Caleb’s men catch up to them. Back at the cabin, Polly bravely attempts to give her sons more time by fighting her captives but is beaten severely to the point of unconsciousness.
After Caleb’s men bring Davy and his boys back to the family’s cabin, Davy finally comes face to face with Caleb. A bunch of accusations ensue from the fur trading boss to which Davy exhaustedly defends. Caleb shrewdly manipulates the facts of the case and claims the boys are responsible for not just the one pelt but all twenty-five. Caleb tells Davy they must work four years to pay back the debt, but Davy desperately offers himself as a surrogate. Caleb refuses, however, a fight breaks out.
So, the question becomes, Can Davy Crockett save his family from this evil man and his gang?
THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT has a strong Christian, moral, pro-family biblical worldview, which promotes family love and loyalty, and prayer. For example, Davy decides to return home for his family despite getting pushback from President Andrew Jackson. He also offers himself to the villain to save his sons from a life of indentured servitude.
However, many scenes in the movie make no sense, seem rushed or end abruptly. They also could use better transitions. The movie also contains some violence, including a scene where the villain whips Davy’s oldest son.
THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT is also marred by some revisionist history. For example, although the movie’s notes say it’s set in 1815, the movie depicts Davy serving in Congress in 1830 helping Andrew Jackson while still being married to Polly. However, according to all historical texts, she passed away over 10 years before his Congressional run for the Tennessee ninth district in 1827. Also, by 1830, Davy had already remarried, his second wife had two other children of her own, and they had three children together. Finally, the beginning of THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT says Davy initially supported President Jackson’s Indian Removal Act of 1830. However, history shows that Davy fiercely opposed the Act from the beginning.
In addition, THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT makes a false, politically correct moral equivalence between people groups. At one point, when the malevolent fur trader Caleb captures Davy, he explains why he wants repayment in full from Davy’s sons. Caleb says, “Without the law, our whole society will be overrun by the savages” (meaning the Indians), to which Davy replies, “We are all savages.” From a biblical standpoint this may true, in the sense that we are all sinners in the eyes of God. However, it is factually inaccurate to say that all people groups behave and act the same. The brutality and savagery committed by people differs from group to group. An example of this are people groups living in Communist China or in Muslim countries living under Sharia Law versus nations operating under a general Christian, biblical worldview, such as the United States. So, although it’s true to say that, during the Indian Wars in the 19th Century, the United States was not a perfect nation and didn’t always deal honorably with the native American tribes, research shows that the some of the tribes of North America waged war against one another, enslaved one another and even engaged in cannibalism before the Europeans arrived in their various territories.
THE BALLAD OF DAVY CROCKETT warrants caution for older children because of violence and the movie’s revision history and politically correct content.
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Movie Reviews
What If Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway Had a Mother-Off, and We All Lost?
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The strange case of Mothers’ Instinct.
Photo: Neon
There’s a new movie starring Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway out this week, which is normally the sort of thing you’d expect to have heard about. But, after its release in the U.K. months ago, Mothers’ Instinct is slipping into U.S. theaters with as little splash as an Olympic diver nailing a triple somersault tuck. The film, a thriller directed by Benoît Delhomme, is getting the treatment typically reserved for a disaster, which is a shame, because I’ve been dying to discuss it with someone, and that’s hard when no one has any idea what you’re on about. Mothers’ Instinct is, indeed, pretty terrible, and not in the so-bad-it’s-good sense, and yet there’s something strangely moving about it. It’s a poignant example of how what looks like rich material to actors can turn out to be lousy material for audiences. Mothers’ Instinct is a remake of a 2018 Belgian film adapted from a novel by Barbara Abel, and watching it, you can appreciate exactly why these two major actors signed on to star in it. Funnily enough, those same qualities go a long way toward explaining why the movie doesn’t work.
Mothers’ Instinct isn’t camp, but it’s close enough that if you squint, you can almost see a version of the film that tips into something broader. Of course, if you squint, you wouldn’t be able to appreciate how immaculately Chastain and Hathaway are costumed. They look incredible — not like two 1960s housewives, which is what they’re playing, so much as two people who keep switching outfits because they can’t decide what to wear to the high-end Mad Men–themed party they’re headed to later. As Alice, Chastain is styled like a Hitchcock blonde in pin-curled ash updos and cardigan sets, while as Alice’s neighbor and friend Céline, Hathaway is given a Jackie O. look that involves a shoulder-length bouffant, pillbox hats, and gloves. They’re cosplayers in a gorgeous, airless setting, adjoining houses on a street that might as well be floating in space, the husbands (played by Anders Danielsen Lie and Josh Charles) vanishing to work for long stretches. The artificiality of this intensely manicured re-creation isn’t to any particular end, which gives the whole movie the air of a Don’t Worry Darling situation in which no one ever wakes up to the twist, instead sleepwalking through a stylized dream of Americana.
In fact, while Alice is restless over having given up her job as a journalist to take care of her son Theo (Eamon O’Connell), and Céline gets ostracized by the community after the death of her son, Max (Baylen D. Bielitz), Mothers’ Instinct isn’t actually all that interested in the pressures of living under a repressive 1960s patriarchy. Instead, it’s about another time-tested theme, one that’s best summed up as: Bitches be crazy. The perfect sheen of its surfaces — Delhomme, who’s making his directorial debut, is a cinematographer who started his career with The Scent of Green Papaya and has since worked with everyone from Tsai Ming-liang to Anton Corbijn — is paired with a score that shrieks unease from the opening scene, in which Céline is thrown a surprise birthday party. The source of this suspense isn’t revealed until later, after Max takes an unintended swan dive off the porch and the women’s friendship is threatened by grief, guilt, and suspicion. Is Céline in mourning, or does she actually irrationally blame Alice for what happened while developing an alarming fixation on Theo? Is Alice right to be suspicious of her bestie, who’s unable to have another baby, or is she being paranoid because the mental illness that previously resulted in her hospitalization has returned? Is it odd that two feminist actors jumped to participate in a film that traffics so freely in unexamined stereotypes about women and hysteria?
Not, it seems, when the opportunities to stare coldly into space or look on in glassy betrayal are this good. I’m not trying to sound snide here — the characters in Mothers’ Instinct have no convincing inner lives at all, but the exterior work of the actors playing them is choice stuff. When Alice and Céline are getting along, Chastain and Hathaway nuzzle together supportively like long-necked swans. When things start to go south, Chastain opts for an aloof distance with stricken eyes, while Hathaway prefers a labored smile that drops as soon as she’s alone. Theirs is a brittle-off no one can win, but both try their hardest anyway. The effort reaches its crescendo at Max’s funeral, where Hathaway’s enormous eyes glimmer through the barrier of a black lace veil and Chastain tilts her face up so that the elegant tracks of past tears can gleam in the light. The scene ends with Céline collapsing in anguish while Alice rushes her tantrumming child out of the church, an explosion of drama that would be so much more effective if the movie had left any room for modulation instead of starting at 10 and staying there. Mothers’ Instinct gets much sillier before it ends, but given how little it establishes as its baseline tone, it doesn’t feel fair to say it goes off the rails. Rather, as Hathaway stares brokenly into the dark and Chastain tears apart her nightstand drawer in panic, what comes to mind is how great a set of GIFs this movie will make someday. That’s not much, but I guess it’s something?
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Movie Reviews
Movie Review: Twisters – Kenbridge Victoria Dispatch
![Movie Review: Twisters – Kenbridge Victoria Dispatch Movie Review: Twisters – Kenbridge Victoria Dispatch](https://www.kenbridgevictoriadispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2024/07/Twisters-Banner_WEB.jpg)
Movie Review: Twisters
Published 11:15 am Friday, July 26, 2024
1 of 3
Let me immediately cut to the chase (pun intended) and answer the question you’re all wondering. TWISTERS is a fun and entertaining summer blockbuster, but it in no way holds a candle to its predecessor TWISTER (1996). Still, the CGI is intense, the sound design is loud and immersive, and the lead performances — especially from Glen Powell — are sure to wow.
Following a horrible tragedy, meteorologist Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones) has spent years out of the storm chasing business. She now lives in the largely tornado-less New York City, using her innate understanding of storm systems to direct weather alerts. But when her old friend Javi (Anthony Ramos) begs her to join his privately-funded start-up, which is designed to use military-grade radars to learn more about tornadoes and save communities in Oklahoma, she agrees to give him a week of her time. It’s not too long before “tornado wrangler” influencer Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) enters the scene with his ragtag group of weather enthusiasts, creating a competition between scientific research and entertainment. Each group races to be the first on the scene, with Kate and Javi seeking to model the tornado and Tyler trying to get the most likes on social media. But can the two groups find a way to work together or will the competition be more vicious than the tornadoes?
I am admittedly judging myself for caring too much about a summer blockbuster’s plot, because that’s not really what any of us sign up for with these films. But the various encounters with tornadoes begins to feel slightly repetitive and creates pacing issues, making a two-hour film feel like its runtime. And for some reason, it seems like there is something missing when it comes to portraying the sheer terror of experiencing F5 tornadoes, unlike the original film; the main set pieces were not as memorable.
The film does little to make you care about whether the characters live or die, relying on Glen Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones’s chemistry and natural charisma to do the heavy lifting. The second Powell steps out of his gigantic truck, with his cowboy hat and belt buckle sparkling in the sun… sorry, I just lost my train of thought… and that’s what TWISTERS is hoping. Powell’s magnetism is sure to knock you off your feet and distract you from the film’s middling plot. And while Edgar-Jones’s performance is more muted, due to her character’s battle with PTSD, she brings an important level of humanity to the film and a character to both see yourself in and root for. More than that, her chemistry with Powell is off the charts and will certainly leave you wanting their relationship explored more in a sequel. The supporting characters are not given much to work with and as such, don’t really engender much concern when they are in deadly situations.
One element of TWISTERS I liked more than TWISTER is it showed the emotional and financial toll tornadoes ravage on communities. Of course, that is an element of the first film, but TWISTERS does a great job showcasing the speed in which tornadoes can overtake and devastate a community, both in loss of life and loss of property. This, juxtaposed with the “fun” in chasing storms brings a real human element to the film. I also want to give a shoutout to the movie not having any sad animal scenes (apart from a possible run-in with a chicken). So for all of you sickos excited to see another flying cow, this isn’t for you.
TWISTERS is the exact kind of movie you need to see in a theater so you can get the full experience. Where else can you admire the cinematography, get immersed in the sound design, and lose yourself in Glen Powell’s cowboy hat and million dollar smile? I saw it in a Dolby theater and was blown away.
There is no end credit scene.
My Review: B
Movie Reviews
Raayan Telugu Movie Review, Dhanush, Sundeep Kishan
![Raayan Telugu Movie Review, Dhanush, Sundeep Kishan Raayan Telugu Movie Review, Dhanush, Sundeep Kishan](https://www.123telugu.com/content/wp-content/themes/123telugu/images/logo.gif)
Movie Name : Raayan
Release Date : July 26, 2024
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Dhanush, Sandeep Kishan, Kalidasu Jairam, Aparna Balamurali, SJ Surya, Saravanan
Director : Dhanush
Producers : Kalanithi Maran
Music Director: A. R. Rahman
Cinematographer: Om Prakash
Editor: Prasanna GK
Related Links : Trailer
Raayan is Dhanush’s 50th film as an actor and his second as a director. The film released in cinemas worldwide today amid moderate expectations. This review explores how the film performed. Read on.
Story:
Kaartavaraayan aka Raayan (Dhanush), enjoys a quiet life in Anjanaouram with his brothers Muthuvelaraayan (Sundeep Kishan), Maanikyaraayan (Kalidas Jayaram), and sister Durga (Dushara Vijayan). Their tranquility is shattered when Muthu gets into a fight with the local don Dorai’s (Saravanan) men, setting off a dangerous rivalry. Sethuram (SJ Suryah), another gangster, steps into the fray with a deadly plan to eliminate Raayan. What drives Sethuram’s desire to kill Raayan? Who is Raayan beneath the surface? What is his true purpose? The film unveils all these secrets.
Plus Points:
Expectations were high when the film was announced, as it is directed by Dhanush. Besides his intense acting, Dhanush demonstrates his directing skills neatly.
Sundeep Kishan takes on a significant role and delivers an exceptional performance with his portrayal of a character with grey shades. His scenes with Dhanush and Aparna Balamurali are enjoyable.
Dushara Vijayan is unexpectedly strong in her role, which becomes more intense in the second half. SJ Suryah, as usual, gives an exemplary performance. Aparna Balamurali, Selvaraghavan, and others perform decently in their respective roles.
Minus Points:
The movie doesn’t offer much that’s new for viewers. Dhanush presents a routine story with very few twists, but the slow-paced screenplay diminishes the story’s impact.
There is no strong hook to illustrate the conflict between SJ Suryah and Dhanush. The reasons provided are unconvincing, and SJ Suryah’s potential is not fully utilised.
The film caters mainly to action movie enthusiasts and may not be suitable for family audiences due to its violent content.
Prakash Raj’s character lacks originality, and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar has minimal relevance to the plot. Additionally, including more emotional depth might have improved the film. The second half feels dragged out, with unnecessary scenes added to extend the film.
Technical Aspects:
As a director, writer, and actor, Dhanush displays his skills, but as a writer and director, he could have crafted a more engaging story. The sluggish second half could have been tightened.
Given the high expectations, AR Rahman’s work is noticeable but slightly disappointing. The cinematography by Om Prakash is decent, while editing by Prasanna GK could have been better. Production values are satisfactory.
Verdict:
On the whole, Raayan offers nothing new but remains passable due to the strong performances by Dhanush, Sundeep Kishan, Dushara Vijayan, and SJ Suryah. The action scenes are adequate but not suitable for family audiences. The lack of a strong hook point and a dragging second half are notable drawbacks. If you still decide to watch it, manage your expectations accordingly.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team
Click Here For Telugu Review
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