STARRING: Matt Damon, Henry Thomas, Penelope Cruz, Lucas Black, Ruben Blades, Miriam Colon, Bruce Dern, Robert Patrick

LINE ON THE POSTER: Some passions can never be tamed.

WHAT HAPPENS: A young Texan drifter named John Grady Cole (Damon) seeks a better life and new experiences sets off with his best friend, Lacey Rawlins (Thomas), for Mexico. However when they cross the border, the dream they imagined isn't all they thought it would be, as they find plenty of adventure but also encounter the hardship, corruption and hostility towards outsiders of a country that's not forgiving. It's a country that will bring them close to happiness and sadness, life and death, love and hate and each other...but will they survive?

ANY GOOD?: Well considering that the original version of this film was 4 hours long, the film-going public have got off likely, as the studio would only release a two-hour long compromise. Why have you got off likely? Well if you see it, you'll understand as this film is dull, dull, dull, dull, dull, dull. It also doesn't make sense for large portions of it and especially in the key moments, which tells you something isn't quite right. However the two hours that have been taken out might have expanded the story no end and, although would have given it a mammoth running time, it would have added some coherency, which could have made it far more enthralling. As it is all the action seems to take place away from the screen and it's left to montages and descriptions by characters to keep the audience informed. But as for the supposed off-screen/on-screen 'affair' between Damon and Cruz, trust me it didn't happen there's more chemistry going on in a Physics lesson. The only redeeming feature is the luscious landscapes and great photography but that soon tires. Avoid.

BEST BIT: The cinematography combined with haunting music as Cole and Rawlins ride towards Mexico is a pleasure to watch for the opening half-hour, unfortunately it's all down hill from there.

INTERESTING FACT: The Columbia Pictures logo at the start of the film is not the modern one, but is the one that was used in 1949, which is when the film is set.

LIKED IT, TRY: Once Upon A Time in the West, Young Guns or The Legend of Bagger Vance