Badlands (1973)

Badlands

• The first time I heard of this film was when I watched ‘Deliver Me from Nowhere’ (if I remember correctly) and Jeremy Allen White’s Springsteen was watching ‘Badlands’ on TV. I’m definitely a Martin Sheen fan, so that alone piqued my interest. So eventually, I got it through the Criterion collection, and I am definitely a fan. Sissy Spacek (who I’m also a fan of) joins Sheen in this compelling story of independence, rebellion, and adventure, though it doesn’t go the direction that I thought it would. I wasn’t completely aware that it was a crime/thriller about a killing spree, so each new step was unexpected but enjoyable. I think the reason this sticks out above other crime/thrillers is because of the characters. Even though in several ways they are typical and average, they’re also charismatic and carefree, in a sense that doesn’t make this film too tense. It’s not some brutal, dark tale of death, but more of a lighthearted, documentary-esque journey of companionship and zero responsibility. With lots of shooting, of course. It’s not hard to follow along with, and the runtime isn’t too long, so you can accept each scene as it is, and immediately move to the next one. Everything flows together wonderfully, with rustic but still sharp cinematography and captures the emotion of each person, while still taking a step back and pulling in the scenery. I very much enjoyed the two performances from Sheen and Spacek, and I mean, they’ve never been bad, so I wasn’t surprised. Lastly, the soundtrack was great, and while it adds some depth to the film, it doesn’t distract you from what’s happening visually. Overall, this is a fantastic film that holds a lot while still being simple. While it didn’t blow my socks off or anything, I was still very impressed, and I know I’ll like it even more the second time. I would recommend it to all crime/thriller fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!