Watching “Rust,” it’s easy to be rattled by the gunshots.
Being a Western drama, naturally there’s plenty of gunfights, showdowns and old-school cowboy justice. But this is also a movie haunted by one shot in particular, the bullet that killed Ukrainian cinematographer Halyna Hutchins three-and-a-half years ago when a prop gun held by Alec Baldwin discharged. That shot is the hardest one to forget.
After years of lawsuits, criminal charges and controversies involving Baldwin, filmmakers, crew members and Hutchins’ family, writer/director Joel Souza’s movie (★★½ out of four; rated R; in theaters and on demand May 2) is finally finished and being released for interested moviegoers.
Storywise, it’s a solid if overlong tale of family and redemption – fans of “Yellowstone” or “Horizon” will find stuff to love. Where “Rust” stands out is in its look, a gorgeously shot production with an emphasis on contrasts and dark colors that’s a testament to the talents of Hutchins and fellow cinematographer Bianca Cline.
Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY’s movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox
In 1880s Wyoming, orphaned 13-year-old Lucas Hollister (Patrick Scott McDermott) takes care of his little brother (Easton Malcolm), selling off valuable animals just to put food on the table. Lucas accidentally kills a man with whom he’s had a public beef and is sentenced to hang. As gallows are being built outside Lucas’ jail cell, his estranged grandfather Harland Rust (Baldwin), an infamous outlaw, shows up to break him out of jail and take him to safety in Mexico, murdering a couple of lawmen in the process.
His grandpa’s existence is a surprise in itself to Lucas – he believed the old man was dead – and even though the kid’s had to grow up fast, the odd pairing takes a bit to bond as Harland is hard on the youngster. “There’s alive and there’s ain’t. Try to focus on the former,” he says, attempting to get the youngster in a survival mindset.
Meanwhile, a bounty is put on the heads of both Lucas and Harland, which sends a wild-eyed and sadistic guy named Preacher (Travis Fimmel) hunting for them. U.S. marshal Wood Helm (Josh Hopkins) is tasked with tracking Harland down as well, though he struggles with leaving behind his ailing son.
Between the film’s strong opening and the bloody climax, “Rust” moseys along with subplots, side characters and various threats to Lucas and Harland’s well-being. Baldwin is positively gruff as the world-weary Harland, and he and McDermott fall into an interesting chemistry as the outlaw’s backstory and familial connection are slowly revealed. McDermott is aces as a kid who from the start is thrown into disarray, and Hopkins is pretty terrific as the good-hearted but troubled marshal.
It might surprise some that “Rust” was ever finished after the tragedy. Yet it’s clear that a good amount had to be redone. Because of scheduling conflicts, McDermott and Hopkins replaced original actors Brady Noon and Jensen Ackles in major roles. And Cline was tapped to finish the job as director of photography by Souza, who himself was wounded by the same bullet that fatally struck Hutchins. (The film is dedicated to Hutchins and includes a saying of hers at the end: “What can we do to make this better?”)
For someone not involved in the production, it’s a fool’s errand to try and pick out what’s Hutchins’ work and what’s Cline’s. Instead, let’s celebrate that the overall cinematic life that “Rust” conjures is exceptional. There are widescreen vistas aplenty and fantastic use of shadows throughout the movie.
There’s a stunning bit early on with Lucas at the graves of his parents seen from afar, and Baldwin’s character is a dark, unseen figure in scenes until he introduces himself to both Lucas and the audience. While people riding horses is a frequent trope for the genre, several moments set at dusk or against a cloudy sky deftly capture the movie’s melancholic mood.
There are uncanny echoes of real life in “Rust”: That an errant bullet and an accidental shooting death spur the main plot of the movie is remarkable, and the tale features several characters having to deal with the consequences of their violence. (Souza took out the scene that was the setting for Hutchins’ death.)
Like “The Crow” or “Twilight Zone: The Movie,” “Rust” is a film that’s forever tied to one fatal day. It’s not fair or perfect but finding beauty amid tragedy is something.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Rust’ review: Alec Baldwin’s troubled movie at least looks great
