Wild Bill (Walter Hill)

Rating: 2.5

Newton's Third Law applies as well to some movies as it does to motion 
generally; for every staggeringly brilliant, jaw-dropping moment in WILD 
BILL, there is a staggeringly stupid, nausea-inducing moment.  For 
example, Jeff Bridges' sly, terrific work in the title role--he remains 
Hollywood's most underappreciated actor--is cancelled out by Ellen  
Barkin's gawdawful performance as Calamity Jane (the worst I've seen from 
a talented actor all year).  Some scenes dazzle; others fizzle.  The 
film has a strange, lurching rhythm that's very effective during a lengthy 
quasi-montage in the first reel, detailing Wild Bill's history; when Bill 
hits Deadwood, however, and the narrative kicks in, that same rhythm  
makes the rest of the movie seem awkward and hesitant.  And what happened 
to that ban on voiceover narration I proposed a while back?  Why is 
John Hurt saying a load of solemn, pretentious crap on the soundtrack?  
Show, you cretins, don't tell.