Neal Bledsoe is a former Civil War soldier haunted by memories of the war and making his living with a gun.
One day, two children show up at his home looking for help finding their mother, who has disappeared.
They tracked down Frank based on a letter they found in their mother’s possessions. They were clearly friends at one point.
Fact is, they were much more than that 10 years prior, before the war. Fact is, the two children — Grace and Ethan — are Frank’s.
And the fact is, the step-father responsible for their mother’s disappearance, the step-father who’s been mistreating them and their mother is Henry Bartlett (Rob Mayes), now using the name Travis Briggs.
That would be the same Henry Bartlett who served in the war with Frank Conner. The same Henry Bartlett who ran out on his comrades to save his own skin.
These days, he’s working for the Indian Bureau, providing arms and ammunition to the whites settling the West.
At least that’s what he’s supposed to be doing. Instead, he’s selling those weapons to the Indians and Mexicans to build his own personal fortune.
Neal Bledsoe as Frank Conner, a former Confederate soldier turned tormented killer in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Roy Mayes as Travis Briggs, ready to defend his crooked enterprise in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Review:
Worth a watch for Western fans because it has a bigger-budget look and more realistic action scenes than most oaters being released in the 21st century.
These folks could afford several horses. Plus a stagecoach. Heck, the budget even included enough money for a teepee.
But since there’s only one teepee, producers might have been wise to use that money on a rewrite of the script instead. Because, folks, this script is one-bullet grade nonsense.
A strong opening scene leaves viewers thinking they’re going to be watching a movie about a mean SOB who’s been turned mean by post-traumatic stress disorder.
But, before you know it, that same character is starring in a family film, protecting two children who don’t know they’re his, but somehow managed to track him down in the middle of nowhere.
Oh, and he’s trying to rescue his former love from the real SOB of the piece, who has kidnapped his own wife and is holding her as ransom for who knows what.
The silliness reaches its zenith when the rescue is complete and the hero is leading the damsel in distress back to her children.
Until he discovers that the mean SOB hit her at one point, at which time he promptly turns the horse around and rides her right back into danger.
Bledsoe and Mayes do their best with difficult parts to pull off. As the damsel, AnnaLynne McCord looks like a gal any cowboy would want to rescue.
Old hands Peter Russo and Peter Sherayko are excellent in smaller roles. Val Kilmer is positively inept as our hero’s father.
AnnaLynne McCord as Heather Powell, held captive by her own husband in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Savannah Judy as Grace and Luke Judy as Ethan, fearful of the man they’ve sought for help in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Directed by:
Michael Feifer
Cast:
Neal Bledsoe … Frank Conner
Rob Mayes … Travis Briggs / Henry Bartlett
AnnaLynne McCord … Heather Powell
Savannah Judy … Grace
Luke Judy … Ethan
Jake Busey … Capt. McCalister
Peter Sherayko … Harrison
Michael Bowen … Feldman
Jay Pickett … Kennedy
James Russo … Walsh
Gabrielle Stone … Laura
Michael Welch … Danziger
Tonantzin Carmelo … Alpana
Rick Mora … Sa’ani
Val Kilmer … C.J.
Runtime: 140 min.
Jake Busey as Capt. McCalister, suspicious of Briggs’ activities in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Val Kilmer as C.J., Frank Conner’s father, in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Memorable lines:
Frank, when his lover suggests he see the doctor about his nightmares: “The things I’ve done. The things I’ve seen. Ain’t no doctor can cure that.”
Travis Briggs to wife Heather: “Ah, I almost forget. I bought you some of those revealing petticoats you like so much. Why don’t you go back inside and change into something a little more comfortable? I’m sure my boys would enjoy it.”
Travis Briggs to Heather: “Kicking ain’t gonna get you nowhere unless you’re a mule. Remember that, sweetheart.”
Travis Briggs, after a visit from Capt. McAlister: “Don’t you start a war with me. I’m not sure you’d like the way I fight.”
Frank Connor, to a man holding him at gunpoint: “At least tell me your name so I can kick your ass in the after-life.”
Whore to Heather: “Your own husband kidnapped you? That’s why I ain’t ever gettin’ married.”
Peter Sherayko as Harrison, Frank’s ally among Briggs’ men in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
James Russo as Walsh, one of the men Frank Conner is seeking in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Rick Mora as Sa’ani and Tonantzin Carmelo as Alpana, Frank’s Indian friends in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Luke Judy as Ethan and Savannah Judy as Grace, looking to a stranger for protection in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Neal Bledsoe as Frank Conner, with an enemy under his gun in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
AnnaLynne McCord as Heather Powell, with kind words for a traveling companion in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Rob Mayes as Travis Briggs, down but with more villainous plans in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
Neal Bledsoe as Frank Conner and AnnaLynne McCord as Heather, riding back into trouble, in A Soldier’s Revenge (2020)
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