The Warrant

• Directed by Brent Christy
• June 20, 2020

A Civil War veteran must face off against a vengeance seeking former comrade.

The Warrant was just a random choice one afternoon. I had around 90 minutes to kill so I picked this one. A surprisingly good decision given the budget of this movie and the fact that it looks like it was filmed in the woods near somebody’s house and not out in the wilderness. It certainly does not have a big budget behind it but gets past most of the issues by being just enjoyable and not oppressively downbeat like is the fashion with Westerns today.

Neal McDonough as Sheriff John Breaker provides the fatherly character many older Westerns had. He has a strong sense of right and wrong which is never strongly shaken. He along with most of the cast are quite good. The talented Gregory Cruz plays Breaker’s friend/deputy Bugle Bearclaw and serves as mild comic relief without being a detriment to anything. The relationship between the two is executed a little clunky in the first few minutes but evens out soon enough.

Our villain of the story Virgil St. Denis aka The Saint is played by Casper Van Dien who as an actor is having a bit of fun in just about every scene as he chomps away on a cigar. He is seeking revenge on the Union government for the death of his son. That’s it.

At only 90 minutes this movie gets to the point. It doesn’t waste time with unnecessary extended scenes or going at length into the conflict between The Saint and Sheriff Breaker. It gives you enough to understand what the situation is through dialogue and actions and get you to the credits. This is a good-versus-evil tinged with regrets of the past story that makes the villain’s actions understandable but never seeks to justify them.

If there’s any theme in this it is that redemption can be offered but that offer has to be taken. It is not something that can just be given. You cannot let the past destroy you or your anger over what you could not do be hurtful. This is on the faith-based side and those elements are overt though not to the point they are shoved in your face. The characters are flawed and even the worst have some positive qualities and are not beyond redemption.

I like that there is a strong fatherly bond between John and his son Cal (Steven R. McQueen) who is a Federal Marshal tasked with capturing The Saint. They like each other. There’s no animosity like is reflexive these days. And more importantly both are in positive relationships outside of work. 

If I had any complaints, it would be the costuming. It’s a little on the lazy side with Casper Van Dien looking like he just stepped out of a country western album from the early 90s. He looks good but not in a way that looks natural or realistic.

The Warrant was a pleasant surprise. Maybe with a little more money it could’ve been something better known but it’s still good. If you’re a fan of Westerns this will certainly appeal to you.