cool even when his character was terminally ill. His sayings were also legendary and Val Kilmer should go down in film legend for this role alone.Tombstone is the best non - John Wayne western that I have seen.

and wishes simply to settle down, but Kilmer simply cannot be ignored as the drunken but suave gambler.

made!!! Don't miss it for anything!!! P.S. See another genius movie: "The Big Lebowski".

misery. Kurt Russell is powerful as awful, and no man can deny that Val Kilmer, in his finest performance to date, was fully due for an Oscar nomination, if not an Oscar win. And Michael Biehn also gives a first rate performance as the sadistic Johnny Ringo. This is a thrill ride for anyone who loves westerns, or a good film to try to get others to start watching westerns.

can a man go to sacrifice his own integrity and better judgment? Even though the Earps are the "good guys", the movie doesn't glamorize violence. Doc Holliday and some of the Earps' other sidekicks "Creek Johnson" and "Texas Jack" are obviously pretty shady characters, but at the end of the day, are forced to choose between right and wrong, and they choose correctly. It doesn't get much better than Val Kilmer's performance as Doc Holliday, and I can't for the life of me understand why he didn't get nominated for it. I also appreciate the fact that the love story between Wyatt and Josephine didn't dominate the film and take away from the real plot, ala "Titanic". The love story simply served its purpose in helping viewers to better understand the character of Wyatt. Also the friendship between Wyatt and Doc was portrayed tenderly but not wussily. And okay, as a woman, let me just say that there is no one sexier than Sam Elliot. Man alive, if there ever was a person born to portray a cowboy, that guy is IT. If you've never seen a Western, or are not a fan, try this movie. It will make a believer out of you.

If you're after pure action; however, this is not the movie for you. This is an action/drama; which documents love, life, friendship, and death. If you've come for nothing but the "shoot-em-up factor," then move on down to "Young Guns," which features loads of action and very little else. If you're after excellent cinema; wonderful direction, inspired performances, genuine costumes and creative set designs, then by all means...grab a smoke and pull up a Tombstone; have a seat and prepare to be entertained.Cinema rarely gets any better than this! It rates a hard 9.3/10 from...the Fiend :.

does 'belong' to Val Kilmer. He gave a real sense of fatalism as 'Doc' Holliday, wanting to die in a blaze of gunfire rather than fading away from tuberculosis.A great view of the Wild West.

introduces Wyatt Earp Kurt Russell leaving Dodge City for the silver mining town of Tombstone to seek peaceful and profitable life… There, he is joined by his brothers Virgil Sam Elliot , and Morgan Bill Paxton , and their wives… Once arrived, they catch up with Wyatt's highly cultured friend, the flashy gambler and gunman, John Henry 'Doc' Holliday Val Kilmer , accompanied by his voluptuous Hungarian consort Kate Horony Joanna Pacula .In Tombstone the Earps found that the wild town is controlled by an elite body of gunmen the vile Clantons as well as their ally known by the red silk sashes they wore around their waists…They call themselves the "Cowboys." All the elements of entertaining cinema are here—the upstanding hero figure and his unyielding nature Earp ; the eccentric, tragic sidekick Doc Holliday ; the lawless gang of villains led by the roughneck Curly Bill Powers Boothe and the testy Johnny Ringo Michael Biehn ; and the terrific action, which is, by its very nature, the classic elements of the Western... We also have good romance, funny lines and gun fighting skills…Cosmatos chooses to focus the attention on Wyatt's bloodiest days in Tombstone… With Russell and Kilmer, he creates two characters that are both human and heroic… The shootout at the O.K. Corral sparks with real excitement… As the Earps with Doc Holliday step into the street and head down for their ultimate approach, they unexpectedly do look like their myth… Four tall figures in long black coats advancing in a line, stern and unstoppable, a transient moment in time congealed eternally in our minds…

humble upbringing and the death of his first wife to his renowned battles with Outlaws like the infamous shoot-out at the Ok Corral. It couldn't help but feel plagued by a yawn inducing 183 minute running time and an uncharismatic turn from Costner in the lead. Tombstone on the other hand, begins when Earp and his brothers move to the town named in the title and is - for the most part, a far more direct and satisfying approach.It opens with Earp ending his stint as a Kansas law officer and heading for Tombstone with his brothers Virgil and Morgan and their families in toe. Upon arrival they meet up with their good friend and Ally Doc Holliday and before long they've acquired a share in a thriving little saloon and card game. A group of ruthless bandits ironically titled 'The Cowboys', also inhabit the town and they take an immediate disliking to the retired lawman's reputation and moral attitudes. So far, Wyatt had done well to keep himself clear of any kind of feuding or trouble, but one fateful night a barbarous act forces him to arrest Curly Bill Brocious the leader of the desperadoes. This eventually results with the historic showdown at the OK Corral and a quest to rid the land from the curse of these malevolent outlaws.On his audio commentary for the Tom Cruise drama Vanilla Sky, Cameron Crowe describes Kurt Russell as 'Hollywood's best kept secret'. Showing flashes of Clint Eastwood, but without ever looking like he's trying to imitate him, he provides a competent lead and proves that there's certainly a lot of truth to that statement. From his humorous will they won't they yearnings for Jose, to his anguished rage as he screams, `.Hell's coming with me' into the stormy night sky, Russell's on top form. His excellence can't help but play second fiddle to a scene stealing Val Kilmer, who has some of the best dialogue since Mr Blonde shared breakfast with a group of crimms in black suits. Hitting a career high, it's seems surprising that the Academy didn't acknowledge such a worthy portrayal. The camaraderie between he and Earp is one of Cinema's most pleasurable buddy pairings and no one can deny the pathos he creates in his tragic exit. His rivalry with an underused but adequate Michael Biehn as Johnny Ringo is compelling and their dual makes for an irresistible climax. Dana Delaney also shines as the Marshall's 'other' love interest, but frankly with a cast studded with cameos from so many familiar faces - even Charlton Heston - you could give a gibbon the megaphone and the results would probably still feel fairly acceptable!The set locations are the standard cowboy fare, but director Cosmatos manages to make good use of them. The stormy night scenes when Morgan is attacked are crafted to create an electric atmosphere that is superbly lighted and the same can be said for the suspense made in the neatly staged shoot-outs. Clearly accomplished as an action director, Cosmatos certainly was the right Man for this rootin' tootin' ride through the Wild West. He shows a flare for building tension that runs smoothly throughout the beautifully shot set pieces.The only complaint that can be made about Tombstone is the lack of any real depth found within the story. Where as genre classics like Unforgiven offer an emotionally charged drama that snuggles so neatly with the always-ungratuitous gunplay, Kevin Jarre's story falls into the 'popcorn western' category. Along with its contemporaries Young guns or The Quick and the Dead, the movie aims more for blockbuster appeal than a deep and endearing dramatic approach. Still, fans of a six-shooter will find plenty to be impressed by - in this admirable character-led mix of gunplay, companionship, romance and even just the right amount of pathos. Fans still ask which is the better of the two accounts of Wyatt Earp's life that were strangely released around the same time. Well I guess the answer really depends on your personnel taste in movies. If you like the more dramatic western and have no problem with an epic runtime, then Costner and co's biopic maybe the one for you. However if you're looking for a 'popcorn' take on the lawman's life then you need look no further. Tombstone's your movie! It may not have a deep heart, but it's a hell of a lot of fun! 8/10