Filled with SNL takes of scenes that make the original work on a dramatic level and WWE Studios' sleaze this is no doubt the McDonald's version of WALKING TALL, compared to the original being like Texas Roadhouse. The original was entertaining, but definitely had some pathos to it. The original three dimensional performance of Joe Don Baker is substituted for the Rock delivering fist-pump-moment lines. The socio politics and subtle hixploitation of the original are substituted by comedic scenes. Something you get when you trade Felton Perry and Bruce Glover for Johnny Knoxville. The drive-in-western location of the original is replaced with the armpit of filming locations: Vancouver, standing in for the pacific northwest. Here's the thing though...I liked it. At an hour and 25 minutes this is like McDonald's, you get it quickly, you eat it quick and even though you know it's bad it still tastes pretty good. This movie is entertaining for all of that runtime and never boring.
Synopsis: When decorated military officer Chris Vaughn (The Rock) returns to his hometown in the state of Washington to find work, he finds that the lumber mill has closed, and the town's big business is now a seedy casino operated by one of his old schoolmates, Jay Hamilton (Neal McDonough). Aided by his loyal friend Ray Templeton (Johnny Knoxville), Vaughn tries to make a stand against the area's crime and corruption, but, finding no help from the police, he must take matters into his own hands.
Right away the biggest difference is in the aesthetic. Not just the 30 year difference between when the films were made but the location and style. While Vancouver can morph into any location for filming, it still looks bland no matter what. I did like that they tried to give Chris Vaughn's family house a farm look to it. They do show an abandoned mill at one point to show that was the big part of the town economy that has been substituted for the casino. Part of me wonders if this movie could have had more pathos if the mill were just being torn down when Chris was getting back to town and he had to fight against Jay incrementally taking over the town. Some other movies of the 2000s try to bring the dying mill town into their plots. The MY BLOODY VALENTINE remake did it well because it made the tension between the townspeople and the man shutting down the mill a lot better. It fits well in a slasher movie. Here it is a halfhearted attempt to bring drama into the film. As far as the style goes, director Kevin Bray has directed a lot of television. The amount of fade cuts in this film would concur with that experience. The overhead take that shows the drug handling in the town is also very television. As are the soundtrack needle drops.
While all of the substitutes for the original film's merits, make it lesser, it doesn't mean I didn't like them. The Rock has some great lines in this movie. The amount of times he says "you're fired," is great. First doing it to his lawyer in the trial scene, and then to his deputies when Michael Bowen concedes the Sheriff's job to him. The exchange he has with Jay telling him to get his taillights fixed and then smashing them is another fun moment. Him coming back into town and introducing himself by playing football rather than going to work as a lumberjack is fine. Once again though, not as good as the original. The scenes between Chris and his father (John Beasley), as well as his nephew Pete (Khleo Thomas), again are fine attempts at pathos but don't have anywhere near the depth of the characters in the original film.
The casino being the big source of revenue in the town is funny to me. The casino is the biggest WWE Studios sleaze factor in the film. Instead of the subtle town gambling den of the original you see a giant casino and half-clothed women giving lap dances. It is there where Chris sees a former flame of his, Deni (Ashley Scott) working as an exotic dancer. She is in this film to look good in a bra and underwear and give The Rock someone to save in the shootout scene later on. The villains are played by Neal McDonough as Jay Hamilton, Kevin Durand as Booth, and Michael Bowen as Sheriff Stan Watkins. Those three could be the holy trinity of, "I know you're going to be a bad guy," as soon as they show up.
Ashley Scott adds some sex appeal to the movie.
Seeing Michael Bowen, Kevin Durand, and Neal McDonough play bad guys is like the holy trinity of you know they are going to be bad guys as soon as they show up.
That being said, there are some fun action scenes. The original film has one big fight sequence in the gambling den. That action in that scene happens very quickly. This movie has The Rock and that means more physical action. Kevin Durand is on the same level as him size wise so it makes for some good fight scenes with them. Jay and Chris get into a big fight at the end of the film in the mill, leading to some kinetic tumbling stunts in the woods. This film though, being rated PG-13 is missing the blood squibs and violent edge of the original. Certain scenes that had some more meaning, like drivers riding past Buford in the original and Buford trying to put up fliers for his Sheriff campaign are eschewed for better pacing. Right after the trial the film just transitions to him becoming Sheriff. I do enjoy the trial scene but it is an SNL version of the scene in the original film.
Some of the comedic scenes work well for me. Chris heals from his injuries and you get more Johnny Knoxville in those scenes and his obnoxious but still funny cackle. Him taking a chainsaw to Booth's truck looking for more drugs and finding nothing is hilarious. The silly harmonica music that plays later while he is in a shootout with someone and they can't hit anything is also funny.
While the Original WALKING TALL is a perfect combination of entertainment with resonating drama. This is a fun, action-packed ride. It never is dull and the inferior scenes and moments from the original are still fun in their own way. The scenes between Chris and his father and their conflict actually would play better in a longer movie with more depth. Chris going back to the casino because Pete has a drug overdose and the drugs came from the casino guards is actually a really good motivation for Chris as a character. Chris trying to save Booth from getting killed in the police jail is the closest he gets to the scene of saving Bruce Glover's character in the original as a three dimensional character. Like I said this is best looked at as fast food when you want something quick and entertaining to watch. Also hearing the Allman Brothers, ZZ Top, Johnny Cash, and Stevie Wonder on the soundtrack is fun.
Rating: 8/10
Trivia: The reference that Michael Bowen as Stan makes to the previous Sheriff being killed after hitting a tree in a car accident is a reference to how the real Buford Pusser died.
Gun of the movie: Both Chris and Ray use a Mossberg 500 shotgun at different times of the film.
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