Wyatt Earp (1994)

It’s difficult to review Wyatt Earp without comparing it to its contemporary, Tombstone. Where the latter employs its cast to create a fun, action-packed ensemble piece with memorable performances, the former squanders its stacked cast to instead create a one-person biopic centered on Kevin Costner’s character. Yes, the title gives that away, but it’s a mystery why anyone felt that the entirety of Earp’s life was exceptional enough to warrant three plus hours. The first hour could be cut out completely and all that would be missed is seeing Gene Hackman and Annabeth Gish. The narrative meanders much like Earp through the American West. It did not help that the writing, framing and costuming (which may be more authentic to the time period) created such generic, interchangeable characters that it made it difficult to track who was who and what side they were on. It got better by the time the plot settled into Tombstone, but by then a lot of my interest had waned. 

Oscar Nomination: Best Cinematography