Heaven's Gate (1980)
I don’t think this long western epic deserves to be almost forgotten as it seems to be, but I also see why it never became a milestone in film history. It really has the potential to be something truly great, yet in many places it isn’t quite there. Almost but not quite.
What I think everyone would be able to agree on is how impressive everything is. The sets are massive and feel very real. No wonder this movie went several times over budget. The cities look and feel like actual real cities with their own pulsating life. The amount of extras are just insane with the streets filled with people doing their thing. And later on we see some of the most grand battle scenes in any western movie.
Of course those elements aren’t enough to make a masterpiece. Cimino made sure everything looked great on screen and can certainly direct staggering scenes, but I don’t feel he got enough out of the actors. They only shine through in a few places. And while I don’t mind the slow pace or the length, the first two thirds are not very coherent and lacks focus. I wasn’t bored just indifferent. The last hour is better where the conflicts erupts in all its tragedy and devastating futile violence.
The themes of class differences and critique of the racist entitlement America was built on, have the potential for being really interesting, but it doesn’t fully get there.
Rating: 3.5