Product Details

• Actors: Willie Nelson, Matt Bearden, John Beasley, L.J. Burleson, Barry Corbin
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Velocity Home Entertainment
• VHS Release Date: April 29, 2003
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000897B2
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #464,096 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

In the American West at the turn of the century, a gang of ruthless bandits led by Charlie Ledbetter (Barry Corbin) arrives at the ranch of Charlie Hancock (Willie Nelson) and shoots to death. His young sons are allowed to survive. Thirteen years later, the older boy (Brad Hunt) is known as the Morphinist--a morphine addict who is also an indiscriminate killer. The younger brother (Daniel Lapaine) is The Journeyman, a silent type who tracks his brother in hopes of redeeming his soul. After the Morphinist robs the mining company run by Ledbetter, the Journeyman becomes part of Ledbetter's gang--without them knowing his true identity--in order to save his brother from destruction. THE JOURNEYMAN is a bold, experimental, and contemporary western which injects vital, contemporary blood into a rapidly declining genre.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars People remember evil longer, September 4, 2004

By 

Steven Hellerstedt "SH" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Journeyman (DVD)

An old man is shot by a band of outlaws in the middle of Nowhere, Texas. One of his grandsons is kidnapped and brutalized by his grandfather's murderers, the other hides and is later taken in by a passing priest. Roll title credits and roll forward "Thirteen Years Later...."
The kidnapped son becomes an outlaw himself, a spaghetti outlaw whose character is known as the Morphinist (Brad Hunt.) The younger brother, presumably raised by Catholic priests, is listed in the credits as the Journeyman (Daniel Lapaine.)
THE JOURNEYMAN is one of those low budget productions that surprises you with its good acting and smart look. This is to date director's James Crowley's only feature film. He's a professional "location manager"- in other words, he scouts out cool looking locations for films. THE JOURNEYMAN's dry and desolate setting, southern Texas along the Rio Grande River, look just right for this violent movie.
Its premise is intriguing, as well. After his leg is shattered when his horse is shot and falls on it(this is the same incident that causes the outlaw gang to desert him and further reinforces the revenge motive) the Morphinist's leg is amputated and he's given morphine to quench the pain. In short order he is an addict and a brutal, remorseless killer. He becomes especially jittery when too long from the needle.
Hunt is good as the wraithlike young killer. On the commentary track Crowley tells us that he lost fourteen pounds while filming the movie, and indeed by the end of the movie Hunt looks gaunt and played out. It's interesting to get an extended back-story on the Man With No Name. The genesis of evil is too often ignored, and although the Morphinist seemingly kills on a whim ("If he bothers you, shoot him" he tells one of his outlaw partners in an early scene) by the end of the movie he's a sympathetic character. Unfortunately the Journeyman, the younger brother who grows up in a seminary, isn't studied nearly as closely. In fact, I had a hard time figuring out who the young man joining Ledbetter's posse was until I watched the commentary track. There were other scenes that needed to be fleshed out, I believe, to give the audience a better handle on both son's back stories.
If you're a fan of westerns don't be put off by the low-budget origins or the relatively unknown cast - THE JOURNEYMAN is a very good western. My only complaint is in regards to the script, which I believe needed some doctoring, and the commentary track, which is hard to hear because they never lower the volume on the sound track when director and producer are talking. Sometimes their voices are drowned out by the sound of the movie.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gritty And Well Made Western, January 20, 2004

By 

Johnboy1 "movielover" (Arlington, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Journeyman (DVD)

I disagree with Allan. I loved this film. True, it is confusing at times, but well worth seeing.

Character actors Corbin and Gilliam are great, but this clearly is Brad Hunt's film, from the start. He's a remarkable talent and deserves recognition for it. Not for one second do you doubt that he's an empty shell of a man who's given up on searching for real meaning in his life. It's an incredible performance, and I only hope that he's destined for stardom, in the future.

If you don't care for gritty, downbeat westerns, this one might not be your cup-of-tea (Unforgiven is a walk in the forest by comparison), but otherwise you need to see it for Brad Hunt's stunning performance.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Journeyman, Smokin' Western, March 16, 2004

By 

Charlie Ledbetter (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Journeyman (DVD)

The Journeyman is a western which is truly relevant to the hip hop generation. It is a tale of violence begetting violence generation upon generation. It is a tale of the erosion of a man's psyche because of drug addiction. It is a story of sin, but no redemption. It is a story of purposeless hatred and the love of two brothers undistilled by time and space.

Aside from the intriguing story, the sets and locations are really wonderful. The set dressing and props are perfect, down to the most minor piece of horsetack. After viewing this movie several times I noticed that the guns, fashions and machinery changed along with the century. I found this movie truly fascinating. It is a western on a par with The Searchers or The Unforgiven. This film is the most opulent and impressive low budget western ever made.