I wish that I could watch movies like a normal person again.
It’s not that I don’t already, but after taking a decent number of film analysis classes, I watch everything with a much more critical lens than I used to. Even with movies I absolutely love, I can quickly point out their flaws, which makes me rate them lower despite my enjoyment. Young Guns, an 80s Western about Billy the Kid, is one of my only exceptions.
This film tells the heavily fictionalized story of William H. Bonney, or Billy the Kid, played by Emilio Estevez. Raised among other wayward boys his age, he rallies them all together to take revenge on the men who killed their mentor.
This is by no means a perfect movie. It may not even be a good movie. However, it’s chock full of memorable lines, thrilling action (all filmed practically out of Santa Fe with horses, gun brawls, and all), and an interesting crew of characters that don’t get talked about enough. The cast is full of big names like Charlie Sheen, Dermot Mulroney, and Kiefer Sutherland.
For all of the memorable 80s movie crews (Goonies, Breakfast Club, The Outsiders, etc.), nobody talks about the dynamic between these men, especially when they’re all so distinct and diverse. Kiefer Sutherland’s Doc is my favorite; I love a man who writes poetry and yearns for a woman he can’t have.
The other characters are all memorable too. Mulroney’s Dirty Steve constantly spews nonsense, Lou Diamond Phillips’ Chavez allows for some grounded badassery, and Casey Siemaszko is a hilarious nervous wreck as Charlie.
The real standout, however, is Estevez as Billy. He’s such a cocksure fellow, always looking to engage in fights first rather than try to negotiate. He’s entertaining and charismatic; you want to root for him but also wouldn’t mind if he gets punched in the face.
Along with being a high-energy Western, the movie is also very funny. In one scene, the group decides to do Navajo drugs to figure out where to go, and it results in the most entertaining trip I’ve ever seen in a movie. Not to mention, there are several great one-liners and bickering among the men on their journey.
If I had to nitpick (and this is more of a comment on genres in general), a few moments feel out of place because it’s a classic 80s movie. There are needle drops with odd music, and the ending feels extremely corny, which puts an odd stain on the rest of the movie.
Young Guns is a rare movie where the simple plot works — that’s honestly how most 80s movies function. It’s a simple revenge plot with good action, good characters, and good jokes, and it doesn’t need to be any more than that.
It’s for that reason that Young Guns escapes my critiques and deserves to be talked about more!
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