Trail of Justice (2020)

Gideon and Luke Valimont play brothers Will and Jeff Lawson, westward bound after being orphaned by a smallpox outbreak.

They have cousin Sydney Lawson (Christian Jessop) along for the ride, then unexpectedly pick up a fourth member of their traveling party.

That would be Drew Wesley (Andrew Knoll), a wannabe bounty hunter captured by an outlaw gang and sure to be killed if he isn’t rescued.

The quartet of young men land in the town of Overlook and are tempted to stay longer than planned by an upcoming celebration and a pretty blonde (Hollee Kolenda as Laura Gradenson) Drew has his eyes on.

Then the celebration takes a tragic turn when a band of Blackfoot Indians attack.

Jeff Lawson vows vengeance, pitting the men against —–, the very same Blackfoot who helped them escape the outlaw gang holding Drew prisoner.

What he doesn’t know is that blame for the attack rests with Atticus Gradenson, Overlook’s benefactor, but a man with a troubled past.

Luke Valimont as Jeff Lawson, looking for vengeance after the death of someone close to him in Trail of Justice (2020)

Gideon Valimont as Will Lawson, wondering if it’s time to quit drifting with no real purpose in Trail of Justice (2020)

Review:

Lots of low-budget Westerns are saddled with a cast of overweight aging actors.

This film goes in the opposite direction, starring a quartet of young men who look like they just started shaving.

They make for likeable lead characters, even if their acting comes across as not quite ready for prime time and their appearance way too freshly scrubbed.

But the film’s biggest drawback is a plot that will have viewers scratching their heads. Repeatedly.

An example: An arrow is pulled from the body of a victim of that Indian attack. One of our stars immediately recognizes it (!?!?) as an arrow used by —-.

So the lads go riding back into Blackfoot territory, locating — with nary a bit of trouble.

Still, this is better than many of the low-budget Westerns hitting streaming sites. And the budget allowed for multiple horses and some lovely panoramic views of the Montana filming locations.

Andrew Knoll as Drew Wesley, fresh out of jail but bearing the marks of his latest scrape in Trail of Justice (2020)

Christian Jessop as Sydney Lawson, cousin to Jeff and Will, sensing approaching trouble in Trail of Justice (2020)

Directed by:
Nick Debour

Cast:
Luke Valimont … Jeff Lawson
Stephen Jarvis … Atticus Grandenson
Christian Jessop … Sydney Lawson
Andrew Knoll … Drew Wesley
Gideon Valimont … Will Lawson
Robert Weber … Trace Anderson
Jocko Hendrickson … Kitchi
Robert A. Rogers … Clay Hobbs
James Murphy … Sheriff Toad
David Kolenda … Rev. Mark
Hollee Kolenda … Laura Grandenson
Jeffrey Bryce Allred … Jack Fletcher
Jeffery Valimont … Bill Larce
Jeremy Eisele … Otto Johnson

Runtime: 105 min.

Stephen Jarvis as Atticus Grandenson, trying to explain away his latest act of violence in Trail of Justice (2020)

Hollee Kolenda as Laura Grandenson, meeting Drew Wesley on the streets of Overlook in Trail of Justice (2020)

Memorable lines:

Sydney Lawson, as the four companions arrive in Overlook: “Might want to wipe that blood off your face before we cross paths with any women.”
Drew Wesley: “Right. Ladies actually love a man with some battle scars.”

Jack Fletcher to Laura Grandenson, when he finds her with Drew Wesley: “What’s a wildflower like you doing with a tumbleweed like this?”

Atticus Grandenson: “The truth is always written by those who win, those who survive.”

Jocko Hendrickson as Kitchi, protecting a Blackfoot burial ground in Trail of Justice (2020)

James Murphy as Sheriff Toad, a lawman who takes his orders from Overlook Mayor Atticus Grandenson in Trail of Justice (2020)

Atticus Grandenson: “I’m just trying to do right. God uses people, all the way.”
Trace Anderson: “Yeah, but you ain’t God.”

Rev. Mark: “Jeff, I hope you know what you’re doing. Vengeance is the Lord’s.”
Jeff Lawson: “I don’t think he’ll mind if I borrow it just this once, reverend.”

Aging Rebel captain: “Son, you ain’t never gonna find peace at the end of that (pistol) barrel.”
Atticus Grandenson: “No. Just a dead old man.”

Robert Weber as Trace Anderson, a leader of the Denson gang, warning against Atticus Grandenson’s plan in Trail of Justice (2020)

Robert A. Rogers as Clay Hobbs, a leader of the Denson gang, inflicting pain on Drew Wesley in Trail of Justice (2020)

David Kolenda as the Rev. Mark, trying to provide guidance to Jeff and Will Lawson in Trail of Justice (2020)

Jeffrey Bryce Allred as Jack Fletcher, picking a fight with Drew Wesley over Laura Grandenson in Trail of Justice (2020)