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Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

Unless someone and all of his/her friends and family have lived under several rocks in the past twenty-five plus years, it is safe to assume that most people in the world have seen, or at least heard of the movie Tombstone. This classic movie burst onto big screens on Christmas Eve, 1993, with Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer at the forefront. Tombstone checked all the boxes on my hypothetical “good movie” checklist. These items include quality acting, solid premise, suspense, continuous and sustainable plot, and a thorough storytelling. Some would argue that, since this movie is based on actual and true events, it is in some way cheating or its story tells itself. While this is a valid point, I would say that it takes true talent possessed by people like director George Costamos and writer Kevin Jarre to bring the story of Wyatt Earp’s attempt at retirement to life.
Kurt Russell characterized a man who was very notable, and widely considered a legend, in Wyatt Earp. Earp was a straight-laced, by the book lawman who rarely strayed from righteousness. I believe that this, among his many accomplishments and surviving a few brushes with death, is why many believed him to be admirable. However, it was Val Kilmer who stole the show as John Henry “Doc” Holliday. Doc was notorious for his charisma, gambling habit, and rambling personality. Kilmer completely encapsulated Holliday and brought an amazing and entertaining character that kept me interested throughout the entire film. Alongside these reputable actors is actually an antagonist. Michael Biehn plays the role of Johnny Ringo, who Doc sarcastically refers to as “the deadliest pistoleer since Wild Bill.” These actors, in my opinion, are the best performances in the movie, and, honestly, are better than most performances in any film. The chemistry between all of these actors with the rest of the cast was undeniable, making the film more believable.
The plot forms around Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp, who are three former law enforcement officials who made a living doing the right thing and making sure others did the same. The three brothers have settled in Tombstone, Arizona, which was a small, but growing town outside of Tuscon, Arizona. There they would try to retire into owning part of a gambling business but were soon imposed upon by a notorious gang of thugs known as the Cowboys. The town of Tombstone is in the crossfire and at stake as the two groups battle throughout the movie. This premise of “good versus evil” has been apart of human storytelling since humans came to be. The reason for this, in my opinion, is because it is solid, believable, and relatable. Most humans have this struggle inside their own minds every single day, multiple times a day. This premise is an old one, but a great one. Usually I can tell when the climax of a movie is approaching, but this movie is one of the few that has me on the edge of my seat for the entirety. It has highs and lows, as far as excitement goes, but there is always the suspenseful feeling of, “Oh my, how are they going to fix this or get out of this situation?”
The historical accuracy is quite accurate even down to the smallest detail. For example, no fake mustaches were used, weapon draw speeds were in real time, the film was shot in Arizona, and special filters were used on the filming cameras to give the audience a feeling of a different time than the present. The only part of the movie that I have a problem with is very small, and it involves one of the beset scenes in the movie so I forgive the mistake. It is a continuity error in which a man is shot in the head, and it is pretty obvious that the blood is dried. Also, someone who is shot in the head will not struggle to stay alive or even stay standing up for any amount of time, but no one person or film crew is perfect so I will not split hairs.
In conclusion, this movie has everything from quality acting to great storytelling. Witty dialogue, love interests, shootouts, life lessons, and potential role models all are an integral part of this amazing story and its film adaptation, which was a box office smash hit. It is also based on a true story so that, in my mind, makes it more interesting. One does not have to be a fan of western style movies or stories, but the ability to translate into any culture is another reason why it stands out to me as one of the most well put together movies of all time.