Lost Outlaw (2021)

The Red Jack Gang, led by brothers Jack (David Novak), Quinn (Darrell Mapson) and Red (Ricky Bird Jr.), pull off a train robbery.

But the next night, a new gang member named Alonso steals the loot and disappears.

Unable to find Alonso and needing a stake, the gang decides to take over a Chinese mine they’ve heard about.

Turns out someone else got there first. No problem. A few killings later, the Red Jack Gang has a handful of nuggets and a possible new source of income.

They even spare a couple of local idiots — Sal and Ennis — so they can do the grunt work at the mine.

Problem is, the land where the mine is located belongs to a widowed rancher named Kate Lisa Rentuor). And she has a pair of nosy daughters — Sadie (Shannon Sinclear) and Sarah (Heather Marie Peterson) — who learn of the newcomers.

That happens just as U.S. Marshal Daniels and a bounty hunter named Tate are inquiring about strangers in the area.

Daniels is investigating that train robbery. Tate’s been on the trail of the Red Jack gang. And retired sheriff Tucker is willing to lend a hand if needed.

Review:

Director Darrell Mapson welcomes us back to the West of aging, overweight cowboys, dialogue that will make you chuckle and plot twists that will leave you shaking your head.

The end result is so bad, it winds up being sort of charming. And there’s an addictive theme song, co-written by the director, to boot.

There’s also religious overtones to the second half of the film as new gang member Lucas (Claude Ball) strikes up a friendship with Sarah, goes to church, hears the story of Job and decides he needs new direction in life.

Mapson dedicates the film to his father, Rev. D.H. Mapson, who died in 2019 after serving in the ministry for 50 years.

Now, that plot. Here’s a sample of the nonsense. The gang looks for Alonso on foot because, hey, any gang member who stole all the loot would stay within walking distance, right?

Ah, but it turns out Alonso didn’t steal the loot. Jack chased him off because he didn’t like him and took the loot himself.

The other gang members find that out when Jack goes missing and they find him cozying up to a saloon girl in town. The same town Quinn said none of them should visit because they’d surely be recognized.

The acting? It ranges from effectively clueless (new gang member Ball) to annoying as hell (Bird, who does nothing but snarl and shout every line of dialogue he’s given).

Just be forewarned: You might not be as charmed as I was.

Directed by:
Darrell Mapson

Cast:
Claude Ball … Lucas
David Novak … Jack
Darrell Mapson … Quinn
Rickey Bird Jr. … Red
Lisa Rentuor … Kate
Shannon Sinclear … Sadie
Heather Marie Peterson … Sarah
Jeffrey Smith … U.S. Marshal Daniels
Jim Tuck … Retired Sheriff Tucker
Willy Ortlieb … Bounty hunter Tate
Chad Homan … Sal
Earl S. Johnson … Ennis
Trisha Cathy … Ellie

Runtime: 86 min.

Song: “Lost Outlaw”
sung by Lon Hannah
written by Mapson and Hannah

Memorable lines:

Jack: “I can’t tell you how good it feels to have a smooth drink and a warm woman by my side.”

Jack, of Sal and Ennis: “These fools seem like idiots.”

Ennis: “Could we borrow some horses? My feet are killing me.”
Sal: “Nah, nah, nah, nah. We gotta move quick. It’s no time for horses.”

Retired sheriff Tucker, of the Red Jack Gang: “They just can’t run around, tying up innocent people.”
Red, shouting as always: “Why, sir. you don’t seem to know us at all. That’s just how we do it.”

Jim Tucker as retired sheriff Tucker and Willy Ortlieb as bounty man Tate, ready for action in Lost Outlaw (2021)

Earl S. Johnson as Ennis, wondering if the new mine owners might eliminate he and Sal in Lost Outlaw (2021)