The Old Way (2023) – Film Review
Directed: Brett Donowho
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Abraham Benrubi
Certificate 15
By Roger Crow
Remarkable as it seems, Nicolas Cage has never made a Western. He’s featured in just about every other genre, and skirted around the cowboy world, but the old fashioned gunslinger, homestead, six-shooter saga? Apparently that’s all been on hold, until now.
And the good news is The Old Way is a solid, nuts and bolts revenge thriller.
The plot is simple: a seasoned gunslinger and his daughter must face the consequences of his past when the son of a man he murdered years ago arrives to take his revenge.
Cage plays Colton Briggs, an outlaw turned family man who is forced back into his sharpshooting ways and standing his ground despite being outnumbered and outgunned.
“Engaging yarn”
The strong cast includes Clint Howard, Abraham Benrubi, Nick Searcy, Noah Le Gros, Kerry Knuppe (brilliant) and rising star Ryan Kiera Armstrong (who shone in the remake of Stephen King thriller Firestarter).
Director Brett Donowho does a fine job sustaining the attention, while Emmy and BAFTA-nominated cinematographer Sion Michel ensures the whole thing looks terrific.
Yes, there are echoes of Unforgiven, True Grit, and countless other genre classics, but this is still an engaging yarn which is the perfect length, clocking in around the 90-minute mark.
Cage could revert to his usual manic, crazy man mode, but manages to dial that down, while Ryan Kiera Armstrong is superb as his emotionless daughter who gives the Hollywood veteran a run for his money.
