The Desperate Riders (2022) User Reviews

desperately bad.

[davejam-49821 · 2/10 · 27 February 2022]

What is tom berenger doing in this tripe? Rank bad acting.the directing is flat to say the least. You would do better to avoid this trash. One of the worst films ive seen in a long time.

Plot Holes Aplenty

[stevendbeard · 3/10 · 28 February 2022]

I saw The Desperate Riders, starring Drew Waters-Transformers:The Last Knight, Friday Night Lights_tv; Vanessa Evigan-Sand Sharks, The Young and the Restless_tv & yes, she is Greg's daughter; Victoria Pratt-Heartland_tv, Cleopatra 2525_tv; Tom Berenger-Inception, the Sniper movies and Trace Adkins-Deepwater Horizon, Mom's Night Out.

This is a low budget western that tries hard to be good but just can't cut it. There are plot holes aplenty and things that don't even make sense. Drew is a stranger that rides into town and saves a teenaged boy from a gun fight & in the process, Drew is shot-nothing serious-and he has to see the local doctor, Tom. The teen that Drew saved needs help when his mother, Victoria, and step sister,Vanessa, are kidnapped by notorious outlaw Trace. Drew finds Vanessa along the trail-she escaped from Trace-and she wants to tag along for her mother. There are a few more gun fights and Drew keeps getting wounded-never seriously though-and it becomes a running theme. I guess it's supposed to be funny, him being the hero that keeps getting shot. FYI: To give you a clue as to how bad this movie is; one of the actors I listed above is not even listed on the IMDB page for this film-he is probably pretty happy about that.

It's rated PG-13 for violence and sexual content-no nudity-and has a running time of 1 hour & 50 minutes.

It's not one that I would buy on DVD or rent either. If you really want to see it, wait until it's on tv.

Not top shelf but watchable

[haquenin-564-763391 · 4/10 · 25 March 2022]

I would have given this a 3.8 but 4.0 was the closest I could get. I watched this all the way through. I thought the storyline was engaging and contained a few surprises, about the supposedly kidnapped woman and the secret of the identity. Of the man tracking her The acting was not atrocious and the main character. Drew Waters as the strong silent type had a solid rugged quality. I'd like to see him in something else. The performance by "Doc" who we see at the beginning and end was good, too. He's a good character actor. The women were not convincing at all and with make-up and fashionable hair did not help suspend my belief that I was watching a real story. The most glaring problem to me were the locations. The western towns and saloons were realistic and rough looking. But the fact that the outlaw kidnappers holed up in a series of absolute mansion like homes out of lifestyles of the rich and famous in what was supposed to e a desolate wasteland far from civilization made it difficult to believe in the reality of the world of the movie. I am a nut for westerns and don't agree that this this is the worst I've ever seen. I've seen far worse.

what a waste

[darrenjacobs-97102 · 1/10 · 4 March 2022]

The cleanest western i have ever seen with girls looking like they stepped out of a hair salon ,the writer should get some old western novels or at least go to library do not google how to make a western.

Awful

[fatboydale · 1/10 · 13 March 2022]

After watching 1883 and other modern westerns recently ,I decided to give this film ago , bad acting , terrible plot , possibly the worse western film ever made ,please don't waste your money or time watching this ...

In the TOP 10 WORST of 2022

[nothisisnotyouremail · 1/10 · 6 March 2022]

Throwing a few big names into a movie with a bunch of low grade, so-called actors/actresses doesn't make it worth watching! The plot line was lame and the acting was worse. I can't believe I paid for this on my vudu, but it could be worse; I could've wasted even more to see it in the theatre!

I had to create this account just to rate this movie!

[ftyznqrc · 1/10 · 29 June 2022]

I tried. I really tried to watch it since it was a pay-per-view.. but I couldn't! Bad bad acting. Very bad. The plot is ok, but the acting isn't. Bad directing as well.

As for the appearance of the actors, it's another bad story. If you shoot a western, remove those eyelash extensions and do a proper for that time hair do, so the women won't look like from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Also everyones teeth! So white! I almost got blind. Couldn't see. I am pretty sure a teeth whitening wasn't a thing back then. You were lucky if you still had all teeth by the time you're 20.

Sorry, didn't watch past 17 minutes. I love westerns. Definitely not this one. What a waste of money.

Atrocious except for 1 thing

[QueenoftheGoons · 1/10 · 28 April 2022]

Oh this movie was terrible. Music was bad, no one could act, the PG 13 was a turn off and it was too slow. The showdown at the very beginning - okay just draw! This is not a spaghetti, they died in 75. However Berenger is in it, and i love him. I've loved him since i watched Platoon when i was 6 with Dad. He's still got it. He's still a bad a**.

It's "Desperate" All Right.

[jonathon-pickford-815-617023 · 1/10 · 4 April 2022]

Rarely have I given a movie less time than this, prior to deciding to switch it off.

Thankfully I never got to seeing Tom Berenger, just what was he (or possibly his agent) thinking?

Thankfully my previous (good) opinion of him still holds firm.

That's 5 minutes 21 seconds of my life I'll never get back!

Aweful movie!

[terrywilliams-34821 · 1/10 · 13 March 2022]

One of the worst movies. No plot really, acting was terrible. Just threw in some big names to get us to rent it. Wasted our money!!! Thought Trace Atkins could do better!!!

Huge disappointment

[sandrashockey-22951 · 10 April 2022]

Save your money. Was not quality movie even for DVD sales. Had good story line but acting, false eyelashes were to much. Mr. Adkins has great potential so hold out next time for something worth your time.

Worth Watching

[bwilson-92931 · 9/10 · 2 March 2022]

As a fan of old style western movies, this new age western style had me interested. The story of the movie was very well put together, with a a few things that could have been different, but still worth watching. Given the fact the movie was filmed during snowmegadon in Tennessee, and did not give a lot of backstories towards most of the characters, it was great to see some notable names helping to make this movie. Let's see some more western movies with these actors!

Good enough for what it is.

[fluffchop · 6/10 · 9 June 2022]

It could have been better with a better director and cinematographer. The rest of it like the acting and story was OK but perhaps a little short on plot. Imagine some lovely wide establishing shots of the wilderness, this would have added so much. The movie is very much here's the camera there's the people. There's not much change in how it's shot so it's visually unappealing. The acting is always very low in mood without anyone punching a word in a sentence or putting emotion into a phrase. This is the directors fault more than anyone's. Even if the actors are inexperienced the director should realise that and give firm direction for what they have in mind for the story. And the story isn't all that good. So from poor writing and direction, we get mediocre performances. When this is combined with lackluster cinematography and not much of a score you get left with this movie. It's not that bad, certainly not as bad as some of the ratings and reviews. I think it's got to be a solid 5-6/10 for what it is. So it's not terrible, but could use improvements to my mind. It may well be that what I'm suggesting is beyond the scope of the budget. Therefore it's good enough for what it is. Definitely watchable.

Double desperately bad

[atoz-70536 · 1/10 · 19 April 2022]

Worst acting I've seen in a long time . Think it was a comedy but missed that mark as well. Every cast member looked like they'd just stepped off a "Cowboy have I got talent show"

Ugh....

[vanderson-54002 · 1/10 · 31 December 2022]

Absolutely the worst Western I've ever partially watched! Poor acting for the majority of the film. I love Tom Berenger & Trace Adkins but I couldn't stand to wait for them to appear! The lead female actress was the WORST! I doubt a true western woman wore hair & eyelash extensions in addition to eye make-up & lipstick! RIDICULOUS & insulting to true Western movies! If I could give this a MINUS 10 stars, I would!! I don't know what the positive reviewers saw in this drivel and I am horribly disappointed that the casting director couldn't have done better to complement Tom & Trace. I will say the setting & scenery were nice but the movie itself is regrettable & forgettable!

Clean Entertainment

[deborahsluss · 5/10 · 18 April 2023]

It was an okay movie, I enjoyed it, and it kept me entertained. I usually watch movies with Tom Beringer. I loved him in so many movies. In Platoon, he was nominated for an Oscar, Hatfield's and MxCoys, he was excellent. He probably would have been a better villain, than Trace Adkins. He was not scary, at all, and he, and the lady he kidnapped, were all seemingly, in love! The movie was extremely predictable, and kind of seemed long at first. Some of the scenery seemed modern, at times. I did notice Venetian Blinds, on the windows.

I did enjoy no heavy usage of bad language. All movies today cuss.

Awful rubbish do not buy

[russharding · 1/10 · 15 May 2022]

Awful. My 10 year old granddaughter made a better film with her iPad and 7 year old sister as the main star.. absolutely appalling, zero stars....do not purchase this.

Uh..

[lrecollet-96237 · 6 March 2022]

This has to be the best movie ever. There are no stars to rate this movie. If anyone evers reads the title of this movie, please stop there. Do not proceed any further. If you do, you grew up on a Moron Farm eating Stupid Seeds believing this is a good movie.

I thought you were dead

[nogodnomasters · 2/10 · 11 March 2022]

Kansas Red (Drew Waters) helps a teen (Sam Ashby) and his hot aunt (Vanessa Evigan) rescue his mother (Victoria Pratt) who was absconded by Thorn Larson (Trace Adkins) and his gang.

The attempts to mesh a love story with a past history and a western and manages to miss the mark on both. It didn't even meet Hallmark quality as a sappy plot.

Guide: No swearing, sex, or nudity. Attempted rape.

Another worst Western film! Full of boring conversation, and annoying overuse scene! Avoid at all cost!

[kwenchow · 1/10 · 7 March 2022]

This film start with a man riding his horse, and he arrive at his destination scene! As turnout, this film is about a man "Kansas" need to help his nephew "Billy" to save his nephew's mother "Carol" from the kidnapper "Thorn", and at the end we found out Thorn actually is Billy's father! Entire film full of boring conversation, and annoying overuse scene! Such as, overuse of the walking scene, overuse of the searching scene, overuse of the arguing scene, overuse of the calling names scene, overuse of the staring scene, overuse of the blackout scene, overuse of the long angle scenery scene, overuse of the riding horse scene, overuse of the drinking scene, and overuse of the talking at the campfire scene! Make the film unwatchable! All the shooting scene portray by sideways, just hear the gunshot sound, and never show the opponent getting shot! Make the film frustrated to watch! At the end, Thorn been killed, Billy went away with Kansas, and Leslie! That's it! Wasting time to watch!

If SHARKNADO had a Western film baby

[hhrsrwzjf · 1/10 · 18 November 2023]

In the first 5 minutes I realized this was going to be amazing! I grabbed a glass of wine, curled up, and prepared for another non-stop evening of comedy from the commentary my husband would provide.

The actresses had perfect makeup and hair, very impressive for the time and setting of the movie. The acting was...fun.

My favorite part was playing "find the mistakes". In scenes in a house with the "good guys" (no, I didn't bother to learn the character's names)- I noticed an air vent on the ceiling, several light switches on the walls, and deadbolts that looked like they just came from Home Depot.

More fun Easter eggs? Printed decals on windows...but the REAL fun one that is deserving of a Sharky (an award that SHARKNADO should bestow upon this film). It's snowing. But there's no snow on the ground at all. Then magically, there's snow. Then no snow. But the "snow" (yes, I know it's like someone put the film clips into a 1990 version of PowerPoint and added a falling snow effect). Just like in Sharknado 🦈 when it was sunny and dry, yet raining with tornados. These magical snow storms must be just in Westernville.

The creepy scene where the man was "happening to watch" the woman sleep...she confides to him her long lost love she failed to have because of her friend...then later said creepy man and sleeping beauty share an "accidently tripping on a log" kiss. I feel like my kid must have written this in 3rd grade.

Bonus points in the "spot the mistakes" game if you make it through the movie and spot the trailer (with tires and all) on the screen as riders move along on horseback.

Needless to say, at some point I stopped paying full attention, pulled out my phone, and entertained myself with reviews. I've not enjoyed reviews like this since reading about sugar-free Haribo gummy bear side effects.

Thanks for the laughs, Desperately Seeking Western.

"Well kid, there's more than one way of bein' dead."

[classicsoncall · 4/10 · 9 August 2023]

I don't think I've seen a Western movie before where the hero gets shot so many times. Never seriously, but gee, he seemed to take a bullet in every gunfight he engaged in. That would be Drew Waters, portraying a noted gunman by the name of Kansas Red, who as the story unfolds, winds up turning into Uncle Jack Cassidy to nephew Billy (Sam Ashby), and suitor for Billy's Aunt Leslie (Vanessa Evigan) who at one time wanted to marry Jack's brother! It's a number of these character twists that the script calls for to make the story seem interesting, but they're way overdone. There's one more to top things off; the outlaw that Red/Jack is tracking turns out to be Billy's own father!!, but since he ran off and seemingly kidnapped Billy's mother (Victoria Pratt), the amount of time you spent scratching your head over the two of them getting romantic wound up making some sense. I guess I should mention it was Trace Adkins in the role of Thorn Larson, cool name, but what mom Carol saw in the burly outlaw was beyond me. She might have liked country music, but Adkins didn't sing in this one. Too bad things turned out badly for Thorn, he got shot by a deputy named Harms (Rob Mayes), while Leslie agreed to marry Jack, who agreed to having ten kids with her! I'll never think it's a good idea for a Western set in the late 1800's to put buildings in the picture that look like they were built just yesterday, and this one had it in spades. Which is just one more reason this film is given such low ratings by IMDb members. In fact, if you check my list for 'Westerns featuring singers in starring roles', this one comes in dead last as rated by viewers.

Take you back in time

[pacharneashutosh · 9/10 · 6 April 2022]

Was a beautiful movie the way story was,just missed a little more connection but the way everyone represented it and acting was simple but beautiful to watch and even movie editing also kept a retro feel so don't make modernize feel at all The film has totally taken me back to time it feels good.

Best Western Since John Wayne was Riding High

[mlmscript-41576 · 5/10 · 20 March 2022]

As screenwriter of Shadow on the Mesa (WRANGLER AWARD, WWA, best Western movie 2014), the just released The Desperate Riders and of Last Shoot Out, which has just won the coveted SPUR AWARD for best western screenplay as given by Western Writers of America (WWA), and author of 28 traditional Westerns, I'll let fans speak for me:

Justin Readett a U. S. Army combat veteran, his lovely bride and their five little ones have a cattle ranch in Texas. They liked all three movies and really loved THE DESPERATE RIDERS

To Lee Martin: "Hannah and I loved The Desperate Riders movie.! We watched it last night and really enjoyed it. The scenery in Tennessee reminded me so much of where Hannah and I grew up in South Carolina, with all the large oak and pine trees. Hannah said she can't wait to read the book. I thought the acting was very nice. The deputy and Tom Berenger as the dentist were my favorites. The whole thing was just really well done and we very much enjoyed it! Great job!" Justin Readett, 3/11/22,

To Lee Martin: Hey! I hope you're doing well? I wanted you to know that I enjoyed watching The Desperate Riders so much that I WATCHED IT THREE TIMES OVER THE LAST WEEKEND. I loved the fact that I could tell it was your writing and having the surprise of not knowing w hat was going to happen because I haven't read the book yet. I was happy with the man who portrayed Kansas Red. He fit that character. He's the kind of strong yet compassionate cowboy I picture when I read your books.

I LOVED the fire side kiss. I laughed when Billy was upset when he found out that Kansas was his xxxxx. They did a good job with the bad guys too. Yes, the assault was hard to watch...I suppose that's good acting when you have to look away! Although, I'm sure it was like that in the old west...not many women to all the nasty men out there. Thankful for the good cowboys who save the day! I am greatly looking forward to reading the book when it comes out.

Hannah Readett 3/11/22.

Worst Movie I've ever seen

[ArtdoorLife · 1/10 · 12 November 2023]

Absolutely the worst movie experience I've had. From beginning to end, the film was plagued with subpar acting, a nonsensical plot, and lackluster direction. The characters were poorly developed, making it impossible to connect with or care about them. The cinematography was amateurish, failing to add any artistic value. The dialogue was cringe-worthy, lacking both wit and depth. It's baffling how this movie made it through production. I urge everyone to avoid wasting their time on this film. There are countless better options available that are more deserving of your time and attention. Stay away from this!