Release Date: 2011
Director: Wyeth Clarkson
Writers: Wyeth Clarkson, Grant Sauve, Charles Johnston
Studio: Travesty Productions
Rating: R
Run Time: 83 minutes
Setting: Yukon
Plot Summary
Retitled for American DVD audiences as The Way of the West, The Mountie is a distinctly Canadian film that follows disgraced Mountie Wade Grayling (Andrew W. Walker) as he surveys a remote corner of the Yukon Territory in preparation for the establishment of a NWMP (forerunners of the RCMP) outpost. As luck or misfortune would have it, Grayling stumbles upon a spartan settlement of Latvians on the Stewart River, under the control of priest Olaf (Earl Pastko), who not only have something to hide but are terrorized by a gang of Russian opium runners. Grayling, enraptured by the priest's daughter Amethyst (Jessica Paré) and seeking to atone for his past mistakes, digs up the group's secret and goes head to head with the Russians.
Review
Director and co-writer Wyeth Clarkson turns his attention from teen noir films to tackle the vast expanses of the late 19th-century Canadian West in The Mountie, and right away I was impressed by the lush cinematography which conveys - as well is it can on the small screen - the rugged and untamed beauty that is the Yukon Territory. I was equally pleased by the authenticity of the costumes and sets, though some items appeared a little too "new" to have been exposed to such an unforgiving environment for any longer than a day or two. So for me, the stage was adequately set for an enjoyable Canadian western that didn't suffer from aesthetic distractions.
The story is a familiar one, of a hero who suffers from being human (and having made a grievous mistake for which he's atoned) given an opportunity to conquer his past while aiding the helpless to a promising future. Montreal native Andrew W. Walker's constant Clint Eastwood impersonation is more than a little laughable as he portrays the gritty and worldwise Corporal Wade Grayling, and although Walker's performance was mostly stiff and emotionless I still found myself rooting for the protagonist as he takes on the ruthless Russian drug runners. Slight of build yet excellent with a long gun, Grayling's success and continued vitality is ensured by a number of implausible plot holes (point-blank misses by the bad guys, Spiderman-like agility, etc.) that are tough to swallow. Cue in those point-blank misses during the film's climactic gun battle, and The Mountie struggles to maintain a decent level of credibility.
The Russians, led by a gruff Cossack named Kleus (George Buza), are a motley bunch who seem to have a hard time committing to any one course of action. For instance, upon meeting Cpl. Grayling they proceed to beat him to within an inch of his life, then invite him in for dinner and homemade apple pie. Later on, they use the priest's daughter as bait to capture him for the purpose of stringing him up, but take their sweet time about it which of course leaves plenty of opportunity for Grayling to escape.
Running parallel to Grayling's struggle with the Russians is his interest in Olaf's daughter Amethyst. Sporting a brutal facial scar intended to keep suitors at bay, she nevertheless captures Grayling's attention from the moment he first lays eyes on her. As the film progresses, she reveals details about her tragic life that only serve to strengthen Grayling's resolve to pursue her affections, which of course leads to the hanging situation I mentioned earlier.
The performances from the primary actors were decent, the Clint Eastwood-isms aside. The supporting cast is made up mostly of amateurs, with very little in the way of dialog, but they do a fine job of portraying a fearful and oppressed community. A smattering of lines delivered in Russian was a nice touch to lend a bit more authenticity, offsetting some of the inconsistencies in the story, though for all I know they could have been speaking Vulcan.
Overall The Mountie was a decent and interesting movie and not nearly as terrible as some reviewers have portrayed it. If you ignore the atrocious attempt to market the film to American DVD audiences and don't expect an "American" western, taking the movie for what it is, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
| For the Stathounds: | |
|---|---|
| Body Count: | 13 |
| Explosions: | 3 |
| Full Moons: | 1 |
| Actors who've appeared on Dukes of Hazzard: | 0 |
| Actors who've appeared on Twilight Zone: | 1* |
* Veteran actor George Buza, who in The Mountie plays Russian gang leader Kleus, appeared in the 1989 episode Crazy as a Soup Sandwich of the late-'80s The Twilight Zone reboot.
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