Comanche Moon
2008  NR  WESTERN/TELEVISION  4h 44min
CAST— Val Kilmer, Steve Zahn, Linda Cardellini, Elizabeth Banks, Ryan Merriman, Ray McKinnon, James Rebhorn, Adam Beach, Jake Busey, Wes Studi, Karl Urban, Rachel Griffiths
MUSIC— Lennie Niehaus  DIRECTOR— Simon Wincer  BASED ON— Comanche Moon (novel), by Larry McMurtry

     Augustus McCrea and Woodrow Call return in the second chapter of the Lonesome Dove saga. As captains in the Texas Rangers their duties include the continuing hunt for Comanche warrior Buffalo Hump, now an aging chief whose own son, Blue Duck, is causing Texas all manner of grief. Despite their main objectives, other tasks include mounting a search party to reclaim their former captain, now taken prisoner by Mexican outlaw Ahumado. While dealing with death on the trail the men must contend with life back home, from catering to their various lovelies to avoiding the captive captain’s lusty wife, their hands are always tied. There are also political points raised: with an impending civil war on the horizon how will the Texan be affected? As the Rangers constantly battle the Comanches what will become of them once the white man has his say and corrals the Native to reservations? Gus and Call may decide to retire from rangering and switch careers, perhaps trying their hands at ranching in little ol’ Lonesome Dove… Though the film takes its time the pace is never slow or dull; plenty of action and dramatics are to be had throughout its three parts. Steve Zahn and Karl Urban are perfect choices to precede Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones, certainly much better casting decisions than those made for Dead Man’s Walk (1996). Doesn’t quite hit the highs that Lonesome Dove (1988) hit, but not bad overall.
OUR RATING— ***
PRECEDED BY— Dead Man’s Walk (1996)
FOLLOWED BY— Lonesome Dove (1988), Streets of Laredo (1995)