Texas Rangers (Western)

Texas Rangers is a 2001 film set in the wild west a few years after the Civil War about a ragtag group of rangers hired by the government to clean up the west by stopping bandits and outlaws. I’m not generally a fan of westerns, but I enjoyed this movie more than I thought I would. It is a fun action-adventure film that’s not too serious. There are plenty of the usual requirements for a western, such as shoot-outs, horses, and dramatic music without much in the way of complexity (its run time is under an hour and a half). I also enjoyed the characters, who were very likable (as opposed to the typical gruff western hero), though they could have done with a bit more development.

            One of the camera techniques that stood out to me was the abundance of bridging shots. I don’t recall having seen bridging shots in a lot of the movies I have watched, but there are several instances in Texas Rangers where a map is overlaid on the scene to give the impression of time and distance passing as the rangers ride toward their next destination. Unsurprisingly, the film also features plenty of “cowboy shots” which show three fourths of the character. Additionally, there are several wide shots that show the cowboys as small figures in comparison to the vast landscape.

            Texas Rangers is a typical tale of good vs. evil. The whole movie revolves around the “good guys” (the rangers) chasing after the “bad guys” (the outlaws). Certain rangers may have questionable methods occasionally, but they are clearly good at heart, just trying to make the west safe for themselves and their families.

Texas Rangers is a quick but enjoyable movie with all the staples of a classic western. 3/5