Westerns are far more prevalent on television than the big screen in recent years, especially when including the popular and ever-expanding “Yellowstone” universe. But Western films certainly continue to get made — and in fact, one came out just this year called “Gunslingers.” If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing the movie, or even just watching the trailer, then you’ve missed one of the most over the top Nicolas Cage performances of all time. Yes, really.
“Gunslingers” stars Cage as Ben, the Bible verse-quoting sidekick to a former outlaw (Stephen Dorff) whose attempt to hide from their past in a quiet town proves short lived when old enemies come looking for them. Sitting at a pathetic 5% on Rotten Tomatoes — and featuring an audience score that isn’t much better — don’t feel bad if you missed out on “Gunslingers.”
Your mileage may vary on whether or not you love Nicolas Cage at his most Nicolas Cage-est enough to sit through a dreadful movie to see the wild performance he delivers in “Gunslingers.” It’s currently streaming on Netflix if you want to give it a chance, though. But movies like this do cause one to wonder if there are any roles Cage actually turns down.
Cage continues to understand exactly why fans love him
After the 2010s saw Cage fire off a barrage of forgettable B-movies — apparently to help get out of some financial trouble — the actor actually took strides to turn his career around in the 2020s. Character drama “Pig” brought him some of the biggest plaudits for his acting chops he’d received since his Oscar-nominated turn in “Adaptation” nearly 20 years prior. “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” saw him poke fun at his career and reputation in a delightful action comedy romp. And the high-concept “Dream Scenario” had critics declaring that Cage was at the top of his game in terms of his acting prowess.
Still, Cage can’t seem to stay away from those roles that let him go all wiry and bug-eyed as he absolutely devours the scenery, even when he’s turning in critically acclaimed work. In fact, some of Cage’s most outlandish roles ever were in movies that came out this decade, from the unhinged janitor that has to battle evil animatronics in “Willy’s Wonderland” to one of cinema’s all-time most ridiculous versions of Dracula in “Renfield.”
To his credit, Cage understands the assignment. He knows why audiences love him so much, and it’s not necessarily his ability to deliver understated performances in intimate character dramas. People want to see Cage unleashed, giving us the deranged line readings and contorted facial expressions that make for great memes. It seems that, even as Cage enters his 60s, he has no intention to step away from his joyously wild career anytime soon.