Common Sense Media Review
By Brian Costello
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Unique take on Western legend has gun violence, bullying.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
According to the legend, in 1908, Butch Cassidy was killed in Bolivia. But there are some -- including Cassidy's great-nephew Roy (Ryan Kelley) -- who suspect Butch made it back to America and brought back bags of gold that he kept hidden. Roy, a teenager living in Circleville, Utah in 1951, believes that a belt buckle he discovered in an abandoned home belonging to his family is actually a treasure map leading to the gold. More important than discovering the gold, Roy sees this as a chance to clear his family's name of being associated with an outlaw, and to also show that Butch was kinder and more repentant than history wants everyone to believe. But Roy's plans are thwarted by an evil museum curator and his gun-toting minions who want the gold for themselves. Roy sets out to stop them, going on an adventure with his best friend, and, by happenstance, his arch-rival, and the cutest girl in town (Arielle Kebbel) to find Cassidy's treasure, clear Roy's family's name, and to find out the truth as to whether or not Butch Cassidy is still alive and living in America under an assumed name.
Is It Any Good?
For families who enjoy Westerns, Outlaw Trail is an unorthodox take on a legend that is worth checking out. It's equal parts Western-style shoot-em-up and 1950s coming-of-age movie a la Stand by Me. The premise of the film is unusual and a bit questionable -- Butch Cassidy didn't die in Bolivia and made it back to the United States and left a cache of gold and a treasure map on a belt buckle -- but against all odds and a limited film budget, the cast and crew somehow make this work.
The acting is above average across the board, and the action -- as absurd as it can be sometimes -- doesn't leave room for any dull moments. Parents and families wary of gun violence may want to avoid this one -- and scenes where a teen boy is shot at point-blank range but somehow only manages to get grazed in the arm (an injury that's treated by using a boy scout scarf as a tourniquet) might test the credulity of some.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the use of guns in the movie. Were the consequences for gun use realistic?
How does this movie show and address bullying?
How does this similar to and different than other Western-themed movies? Which Westerns are your favorites?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 16, 2007
- Cast : Arielle Kebbel , Bruce McGill , Ryan Kelley
- Director : Ryan Little
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Allumination
- Genre : Western
- Run time : 90 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : October 10, 2021
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