The Old Way (2023)

Nicolas Cage is Colton Briggs, once a lethal fast gun for hire who’s settled down to a family life out West.

He has a loving wife named Ruth, a studious daughter named Brooke and he runs a merchantile shop a half hour’s walk from his home on the outskirts of town.

One day when he and Brooke are at the merchantile, four strangers come calling to his ranch.

Turns out, at least one of them is an escaped convict. And the leader of the group, James McCallister (Noah Le Gros), has a score to settle with Briggs from 20 years earlier.

By the time Briggs returns home that evening, the posse on the trail of the escaped convict has arrived at the ranch. And found Briggs’ wife dead.

Marshal Jarrett, aware of Briggs’ past, urges him to care for his daughter and let the law handle the task of tracking down the killers.

But before she died, Ruth Briggs warned the gang they were about to awaken the devil.

Sure enough, Briggs straps on his old six-gun. As for his daughter … well, he takes her along on his mission of vengeance.

Nicolas Cage as Colton Briggs, a fast gun for hire before changing his ways in The Old Way (2023)

Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Brooke Briggs, forced to accompany her father on his mission of vengeance in The Old Way (2023)

Review:

A decent concept let down by a script that hits too many false notes for the film to be more than moderately successful.

So viewers are supposed to believe that Colton Briggs, having just lost his wife, is on the verge of killing his daughter, just so he can set out alone?

And the marshal is frightened into revealing a closely guarded secret when Colton Briggs begins working on his deputy’s wounded arm, fearing he’s about to kill the poor fellow?

And, finally, James McCallister’s three companions would actually follow someone who breaks the finger of a gang member because he fell asleep when left on guard duty all night?

Look, tough, mean characters are welcome in Westerns. So are plot twists. But they can’t be completely illogical.

Nicolas Cage does a decent job in his first Western, but doesn’t deliver the type of performance that will overshadow the film’s shortcomings.

In fact, most of the best lines and scenes are left to Ryan Kiera Armstrong in the role of Cage’s determined daughter, who’s so sullen she has to take tips on crying from a wounded posse member.

Noah Le Gros as James McCallister, trying to orchestrate a showdown with the man who killed his father in The Old Way (2023)

Nick Searcy as Marshal Jarrett, refusing to give Colton Briggs the information he wants in The Old Way (2023)

Directed by:
Brett Donowho

Cast:
Nicolas Cage … Colton Briggs
Ryan Kiera Armstrong … Brooke Briggs
Noah Le Gros … James McCallister
Nick Searcy … Marshal Jarrett
Abraham Benrudi … Big Mike Arlen
Clint Howard … Eustice Bedford
Shiloh Fernandez … Boots Miller
Kerry Knuppe … Ruth Briggs
Dean Armstrong … Clark
Katelyn Bauer … Maria
Everett Blunck … Young Jimmy McCallister
Craig Branham … Arnie
Brett Donowho … Cpl. Lawrence
Corby Griesenback … Walter McCallister
Boyd Kestner … Robert McCallister
Adam Lazarre-White … Greg
Beau Linnell … Mark
Jeff Medley … Smiley
Joe Pepper … Bubby
Skyler Stone … Mr. Jeffries

Runtime: 95 min.

Shiloh Fernandez as Boots Miller, a member of the James McCallister gang in The Old Way (2023)

Abraham Benrudi as Big Mike Arlen, a member of the James McCallister gang in The Old Way (2023)

Memorable lines:

Clark, to young James McCallister as he prepares to hang his father: “Do you know where in the world sinners go? I can tell you. It sure as hell ain’t Wyoming.”

Eustice Bedford, as the gang corners Ruth Briggs: “You serious? Colton Briggs? This is Colton Briggs’ place?”
Ruth Briggs: “That’s right. And I’m his wife. And you hit me in the face with your gun. Broke my arm. Shot his horse. You boys have woke up the devil.”

Marshal Jarrett, cautioning Colton on seeking vengeance: “I reckon it’s been a few years since the world has seen the old Colton Briggs. And I think the world is pretty happy leaving that right where it is.”

Clint Howard as Eustice Bedford, a member of the James McCallister gang in The Old Way (2023)

Kerry Knuppe as Ruth Briggs, stalling for time when James McCallister and his men come calling in The Old Way (2023)

Brooke Briggs as she wakes to her father pointing a six-gun in her direction: “Momma wouldn’t like you pointing that gun at me.”

Brooke Briggs, after stepping on a man’s wounded leg and taking his shotgun: “He cries pretty good. I’m gonna try to do it like him next time.”

Colton Briggs, when his daughter objects to him taking a grave marker for firewood: “Nothing belongs to the dead, cause the dead don’t need anything … Once the dead are put in the ground, they have all they need. They’re not selfish. I like the dead.”

Everett Blunck as young Jimmy McCallister, about to watch his father hang in The Old Way (2023)

Noah Le Gros as James McCallister, using Brooke Briggs (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) as bait in The Old Way (2023)

Nicolas Cage as Colton Briggs, coming face to face with the man who killed his wife in The Old Way (2023)

Ryan Kiera Armstrong as Brooke Briggs, confronted by the sheriff after the gunfire fades in The Old Way (2023)