Texas Rising

release year: 2015
genre: western action/drama (TV miniseries)
viewing setting: home DVD 12/28-31/15

synopsis: In 1836 Texas, after the massacre at the Alamo, various residents must find a way to defeat the larger Mexican army if they hope to win their independence.

impressions: This seems to have largely been panned by watchers and critics, seemingly for getting little historical details wrong. For me, setting that aside, it was pretty damn entertaining and made me want to know more about the events from this time period...which is about the most you could ask of any movie or series based on real events. As far as I could tell, the characters and costumes and special effects were all well-done.

acting: Boy, oh boy. There are so many actors here, I could never list them all. A few had key roles that were most memorable, though. Bill Paxton is Sam Houston, general of a ragtag army that could fall apart at any moment. Oliver Martinez is his military rival Santa Anna, leader of a larger and better-organized Mexican force. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is a tough, charismatic old scout/tracker. Cynthia Addai-Robinson is a woman who ends up being instrumental to both sides. Brandan Fraser is a big, quiet, competent Ranger. Ray Liotta is a homicidal Alamo survivor.

final word: Entertaining, and not as bad as others would have you believe.

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