“IT’S A SMASHING GOOD SHOW”
Starring: Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender, Will Arnett and Michael Shannon.
Directed by: Jimmy Hayward
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, disturbing images and sexual content
Genre: Comic Book, Supernatural Thriller
Run Time: 1hr 30min
Release date: June 18, 2010
Studio: Warner Bros.
By John Delia
Comic books have infiltrated the summer box-office with films like Iron Man2, Kick-Ass, The Losers and now the supernatural thriller Jonah Hex. While Iron Man and Kick-Ass have been the most successful getting an audience thus far, Jonah Hex may cause a strong surge in movie attendance due to it’s mystical content, PG-13 rating and school being out for the summer.
Jonah Hex puts the cowboy back on the screen, but with a grotesque character, intense violence and a vengeance filled storyline. Although the film condenses time, looks like they left a lot of footage on the post production cutting room floor in order to get a PG-13 rating and gets slim with some important character development I found the film stirring, devilish and surprisingly entertaining. If you are a mature male, need a blast of fantasy and like films that cut to the chase, then Jonah Hex should rope you in.
During the Civil War Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) turns on his fellow soldiers and gets branded on the face by Confederate leader Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich). His brain fried with revenge from watching Turnbull burn his family to
death, Hex sets out to find the man who destroyed his life. But, things have changed rapidly and news has circulated that Turnbull was killed. Now working his way through life as a bounty hunter, Hex takes out his wrath on thieves and killers. When Turnbull surfaces as a terrorist, Hex gets hot on his trail.
Josh Brolin puts on a great show as the vengeful gunman. His character is so grotesque that the booze he swizzles slides out the side of his mouth. Thank special effects make-up for the bizarre face and also CGI for some horrific facial movements.  CGI also provides some supernatural transformations as Jonah gets the dead to rise, blows his adversaries apart with Gatling guns and tears up a town.
The acting, direction and cinematography all play a
part in bringing the dark exciting film to the screen. You have to like this kind of film to enjoy it however, and teens will probably eat it up. Much like the video games they play, the comic books they read and the movies that they see, this audience will probably be very supported of Jonah Hex.
The movie is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, disturbing images and sexual content.
FINAL ANALYSIS:Â While not for everyone, the film does kick butt. (3.5 of 5 Palm Trees)