Basically this is a great movie because it is being very unique and fresh with is approach. It's hard to describe this movie really. It's stuck somewhere between being a typical old fashioned western and a more modern one, while taking a very adventurous and entertaining approach to it all.
Even though the western genre was still very popular at the time and also very much alive, this movie yet feels the need to look back at it and pay tribute, as if the genre had long been gone already. Really, I see this movie as an homage to the '60's westerns and it uses all of its very typical ingredients and even pokes some fun at it, without making the movie a parody of the genre. A real accomplishment, since you actually can really still take this movie as a comedy.
But it however is more being a comedy because of how entertaining it is with its story and characters and not because it is filled with some slapstick or moments that will make you laugh out loud. It's more subtle than that, which helps to make the movie work out as a throughout entertaining one and a very pleasant watch.
The movie mostly is being so fun and entertaining to watch, due to its two main characters, played by Paul Newman and Robert Redford. They are a great screen duo and portray some very memorable characters, with a great chemistry together. Besides, their acting is really great as well obviously. Especially Newman shines, like he basically always did, in every role he played in the '60's.
It's also being a real adventure movie with its story, that takes you to a lot of places, while the two main characters are being on the run. During their journey they come across a bunch of different characters, while also still trying to make some money as well. Most western are of course more or less being like this but this one definitely all takes it a step further. It's actually being more of an adventure movie than a western, so even when you really aren't that big on westerns, you could still definitely enjoy this movie.
It's a pleasantly directed movie, with a nice fresh and original approach to it. Visually there is also very little wrong with the movie. It has a great style all throughout, which really reminds you of the '60's western genre, while the movie at the same time still manages to feel like a much more modern movie as well, with a great and unique musical score by Burt Bacharach and a very young Sam Elliott in it too. It actually was his very first movie role and it perhaps isn't a coincidence that it is in a western.
Simply one very entertaining movie!
8/10
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