Aces ‘N Eights (2008)

Once again, the railroad is forging West. Once again, homesteaders are in the way and are reluctant to give up their land.

And, once again, the railroad bosses use strong-arm tactics — death, mostly — to remove the troublesome obstacles.

Ernest Borgnine (at age 91) plays Thurmond Prescott, owner of Oak Hill, one of the small ranches in the way of the railroad and the most reluctant to move.

His supporters include reformed gunman Luke Rivers (Casper Van Dien), a trusted hand named Monty and a teenager named Noah.

A pretty redhead named Jo Tanner provides moral support, partly because she’s in love with Rivers.

On the other side, there’s a railroad boss named Howard, who’s hired a vicious gunman named Tate (Jeff Kober). He and his men will whip, burn and scalp anyone in their way — man, woman or child, it matters not.

Then a more level-headed railroad man named Riley (Jack Noseworthy) arrives from Chicago, more inclined to negotiate with than kill the homesteaders.

Another guy stuck in the middle is D.C. Cracker (Bruce Boxleitner), a former friend of Rivers, a friend who doesn’t really think Rivers can leave his killing ways in the past, a friend who changes sides after Prescott is gunned down, but who turns out to be right about Rivers and his gun and his knack for using it.

Review:

A bit of a stylish mess.

On the bright side, Casper Van Dien makes a strong, silent hero. Bruce Boxleitner looks as natural on horseback as he ever has. Jeff Kober plays a villain worthy of our hate. And Ernest Borgnine turns in a spirited performance as an old timer who’d rather die for something worthwhile now than for nothing later in life.

But there’s a flip side. Character development … what’s that? It takes a while to sort out who Jo Tanner is and why she cares about Prescott and his bunch.

There are at least two scenes in which characters that were supposed to be heading in opposite directions conveniently wind up in the same place at the same time. There’s a silly poncho Rivers pulls on for the final gunfight, a la Clint Eastwood. There’s a scene in which Rivers and Cracker pretty much mimic the last stand Randolph Scott and Joel McCrea made in “Ride the High Country.”

And there’s an ending that will leave viewers truly bewildered.

Worth a watch, just don’t set your hopes too high. The title stems from one vague reference Cracker makes to a dead man’s hand midway through the film.

Directed by:
Craig R. Baxley

Cast:
Casper Van Dien … Luke Rivers
Bruce Boxleitner … D.C. Cracker
Ernest Borgnine … Thurmond Prescott
Deirdre Quinn … Jo Tanner
Rodney Scott … Monty
Jake Thomas … Noah
Jeff Kober … Tate
Jack Noseworthy … Riley
William Atherton … Howard

Runtime: 94 min.

Memorable lines:

Riley, enjoying a quiet evening by the campfire: “I forgot anything could be so peaceful.”
Tate: “Yeah, sandstorms and rattlesnakes. Freezing cold and furnace heat. And a mile from town you’re a guaranteed dead man. Ain’t my idea of peaceful.”

Prescott: “Man’s got a right to defend what’s his.”
Rivers: “It doesn’t give him the right to commit suicide.”
Prescott: “Luke, we all gotta die sometimes. But I’d rather it be for something now than nothing later.”