Themes: Sheriffs and Outlaws, Righting the Wronged, Obsessive Quests
Main Cast: James Van Der Beek, Dylan McDermott, Usher Raymond, Ashton Kutcher, Robert Patrick
Release Year: 2000
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
The true story of the formation of the Texas Rangers provides the backdrop for this youth-oriented Western. In 1875, after the Civil War, Leander McNelly (Dylan McDermott) organizes the Texas Rangers to battle the outlaws terrorizing Texas, notably crime kingpin John King Fisher (Alfred Molina). With a team of experienced gunmen (Robert Patrick and Randy Travis) and enthusiastic but green recruits (James Van Der Beek, Usher Raymond, and Ashton Kutcher), McNelly and his Rangers bring law and order to the wild Texas plains; McNelly must also keep order among his charges when two rangers fall in love with the same woman, Caroline Dukes (Rachael Leigh Cook). Tom Skerritt and Vincent Spano are also featured in the supporting cast; the screenplay, adapted from a script by John Milius, was at one time set to be filmed by Sam Peckinpah, shortly before the legendary Western director's death in 1984. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Rachael Leigh Cook - Caroline Dukes; Leonor Varela - Perdita; Randy Travis - Frank Bones; Jon Abrahams - Berry Smith; Matt Keeslar - Suh Suh Sam; Vincent Spano - Ed Simms; Marion Leonard - Jesus Sandoval; Oded Fehr - Pete Marsele; Joe Spano - Mr. Dunnison; Tom Skerritt - Richard Dukes; Alfred Molina - John King Fisher; Joe Renteria - General Cortinas; Steve Chambers - Ranger/Outlaw; David Gibson - Ranger/Outlaw; Troy M. Gilbert - Ranger/Outlaw; Breon Gorman - Mrs. Dunnison; Ernie Jackson - Ranger/Outlaw; Matt Johnston - Ranger/Outlaw; Jack Lilley - Ranger/Outlaw; David Millbern - Marshall; Robert Miller - Ranger/Outlaw; Fred Perron - Ranger/Outlaw; Paul Rutledge - Ranger/Outlaw; Michael Watson - Ranger/Outlaw; Danny Wynands - Ranger/Outlaw; Jim Dunn - Ranger/Outlaw; Tom Elliott - Ranger/Outlaw; Norman Howell - Ranger/Outlaw; Tony Morelli - Ranger/Outlaw; Richard Pierce - Ranger/Outlaw; Anthony Crivello - Ringmaster; Tom Harper - Ranger/Outlaw; Jamie Jones - Ranger/Outlaw; Gordon Michaels - Mariachi Guard/Ranger/Outlaw; Danny Rogers - Ranger/Outlaw; Matthew Taylor - Ranger/Outlaw; Tim Trella - Ranger/Outlaw; Michael Runyard - Ranger/Outlaw; Gareth Williams - Vigilante Vic; Kristine Johnson - Ranger/Outlaw; Dave McKeown - Ranger/Outlaw; Richard Spence - Ranger/Outlaw; Jordan Brower - Jack Dunnison; Catherine Sutherland - Ranger/Outlaw; William Prael - Cale Dukes; Brian Brown - Ranger/Outlaw; Eric Johnson - Rollins; Christian Clarke - Ranger/Outlaw; Ben Gauthier - Ranger/Outlaw; Greg Schlosser - Ranger/Outlaw; Jim Cooper - Ranger/Outlaw; Dave Alexander - Ranger/Outlaw; Victor Amado - Ranger/Outlaw; James Baker - Ranger/Outlaw; Bob Bancroft - Auctioneer; Ryan Barron - Ranger/Outlaw; Dwight Beard - Ranger/Outlaw; Christopher Bews - Ranger/Outlaw; Dusty Bews - Ranger/Outlaw; Peter J. Bews - Ranger/Outlaw; Greg Blades - Ranger/Outlaw; Don Bland - Ranger/Outlaw; Roy Braybrook - Ranger/Outlaw; Allen Bruised Head - Ranger/Outlaw; Wright Bruised Head - Ranger/Outlaw; Eric Bryson - Ranger/Outlaw; Heather Burton - Ranger/Outlaw; Neal Campbell - Ranger/Outlaw; Riel Campbell - Ranger/Outlaw; Willie Campbell - Ranger/Outlaw; Stuart Cannon - Ranger/Outlaw; Jacob Chambers - Ranger/Outlaw; Lauro Chartrand - Ranger/Outlaw; Marty Chief Calf - Ranger/Outlaw; Gord Colliar - Ranger/Outlaw; Chad Cosgrave - Ranger/Outlaw; Vinny Crowchild - Ranger/Outlaw; Alex Curry - Ranger/Outlaw; Darrell Davis - Ranger/Outlaw; Alexandra Deniro - Ranger/Outlaw; Duane Dickinson - Ranger/Outlaw; Don Dueck - Ranger/Outlaw; Mike Duthie - Ranger/Outlaw; Joel Edey - Ranger/Outlaw; Denton Edge - Ranger/Outlaw; Tim Edwards - Ranger/Outlaw; Shane Eklund - Ranger/Outlaw; Scott Emerson - Ranger/Outlaw; Chad Evenson - Ranger/Outlaw; Wanda Ferraton - Ranger/Outlaw; Jim Finkbeiner - Ranger/Outlaw; Derek S. Flores - Leary; Todd Forsberg - Ranger/Outlaw; Tonia Forsberg - Ranger/Outlaw; Smokey Friemark - Ranger/Outlaw; Tim Friesen - Ranger/Outlaw; Francois Gauthier - Ranger/Outlaw; Lance A. Gilbert - Ranger/Outlaw; John B. Gillis - Ranger/Outlaw; Corry Glass - Ranger/Outlaw; Tom Glass - Ranger/Outlaw; Jim-Bob Gomersall - Ranger/Outlaw; Errol Cerpa Gomez - Ranger/Outlaw; Todd Guest - Ranger/Outlaw; Dennis Hambling - Ranger/Outlaw; Randy Hambling - Ranger/Outlaw; Cam Hamilton - Ranger/Outlaw; Quinn Hamilton - Ranger/Outlaw; Peter Hilton - Ranger/Outlaw; Reno Hoe - Ranger/Outlaw; Dave Hospes - Ranger/Outlaw; Bob House - Ranger/Outlaw; Gaston Howard - Ranger/Outlaw; Kanin Howell - Ranger/Outlaw; Casey Ingram - Ranger/Outlaw; Lowell Johnston - Ranger/Outlaw; David Keeley - Ranger/Outlaw; Scott Kesler - Ranger/Outlaw; Shane Kessler - Ranger/Outlaw; Lincoln Lageson - Ranger/Outlaw; Gary Lauder - Ranger/Outlaw; Billy Laye - Ranger/Outlaw; David Leader - Ranger/Outlaw; Terrance Leigh - Ranger/Outlaw; Juddson Linn - Ranger/Outlaw; Brad Loree - Outlaw #3; Dean Louis - Ranger/Outlaw; Daryl MacKinnon - Ranger/Outlaw; Conor MacLean - Ranger/Outlaw; Joe Maier - Ranger/Outlaw; Marcos G. Malvaez - Ranger/Outlaw; Jason Marshall - Ranger/Outlaw; Brian Martell - Jean-Pierre Marsele; Rick Martine - Ranger/Outlaw; Jason Matlock - Ranger/Outlaw; Tim R. McClean - Ranger/Outlaw; Jody McDonald - Ranger/Outlaw; Darren M. McKenzie - Ranger/Outlaw; Billy Morton - Abajo; Jason Nelson - Ranger/Outlaw; Kate Newby - Henrietta Dukes; Kevin Nicholson - Ranger/Outlaw; Scott Nicholson - Ranger/Outlaw; Todd W. Nobles - Ranger/Outlaw; Mark Norby - Ranger/Outlaw; Jim Orava - Ranger/Outlaw; Shawn Orr - Ranger/Outlaw; Gerald Paetz - Ranger/Outlaw; Rick Parker - Ranger/Outlaw; Jamie Payton - Ranger/Outlaw; Wade Pearson - Ranger/Outlaw; Nolan Pharis - Ranger/Outlaw; Bruce Pierson - Ranger/Outlaw; Shane Pollitt - Ranger/Outlaw; Darren Prescott - Ranger/Outlaw; Ernie Prosser - Ranger/Outlaw; Patrick Reber - Ranger/Outlaw; Scott Rogers - Ranger/Outlaw; A. Alexandra Sanford - Fischer's Prostitute; Chad Sayne - Ranger/Outlaw; Jim Shield - Baldbum; Andrew Simpson - Ranger/Outlaw; Dan Spaethe - Ranger/Outlaw; Mike Splatt - Ranger/Outlaw; Jodi Stecyk - Ranger/Outlaw; Neil Stevenson - Ranger/Outlaw; Cam A. Sutherland - Ranger/Outlaw; Jerry Sweeney - Ranger/Outlaw; Gerry Therrien - Ranger/Outlaw; Jesse G. Thompson - Purdy Dukes; Cody Thomson - Ranger/Outlaw; Jesse Thomson - Ranger/Outlaw; Tyler Thomson - Ranger/Outlaw; Clinton Timmons - Ranger/Outlaw; Monte Timmons - Ranger/Outlaw; Cathy Vayda - Ranger/Outlaw; Phil Watson - Ranger/Outlaw; Jennifer Watson-Johnson - Ranger/Outlaw; Marty Webber - Ranger/Outlaw; John Wigley - Ranger/Outlaw; Dwayne Wiley - Ranger/Outlaw; Edward Wrayton - Ranger/Outlaw; Darren Zieffle - Ranger/Outlaw; Ken Zilka - Ranger/Outlaw; Robbie Dunn - Ranger/Outlaw; Mike Mitchell - Ranger/Outlaw; Roger Lewis - Ranger/Outlaw; Tony Smith - Ranger/Outlaw; Matthew Kennedy - Ranch Hand Steve
Credit
Jesus Buenrostro - Art Director, Ken Rempel - Art Director, Murray Stiller - Boom Operator, Jose Manuel Aguilar - Boom Operator, David Brown - Boom Operator, Geo Major - Boom Operator, Wade Maude - Boom Operator, David C. Taylor - Boom Operator, Eduardo Valverde - Boom Operator, Bette Chadwick - Casting, Candice Elzinga - Casting, David Reale - Consultant/advisor, Marsha Scott - Costume Designer, Mabs Ascanius - Costume Designer, Ken Friss - Continuity, Doug Metzger - First Assistant Director, Jim Brebner - First Assistant Director, Peter Dashkewytch - First Assistant Director, Bruno Madriaga - First Assistant Director, Cathie McGaw - First Assistant Director, Lydia Stante - First Assistant Director, Steve Miner - Director, Mic Rodgers - Second Unit Director, Larry Levinson - Executive Producer, Bob Weinstein - Executive Producer, Harvey Weinstein - Executive Producer, Cary Granat - Executive Producer, Mary Stuart Welch - Executive Producer, Sylvia Fernandez - Hair Styles, Douglas Berquist - Location Manager, Edsel Hilchie - Location Manager, Hector Lopez - Line Producer, Trevor Rabin - Composer (Music Score), Ed Gerrard - Musical Direction/Supervision, Stephan Dupuis - Makeup Special Effects, Donald Bryant - Camera Operator, Guillermo Rosas - Camera Operator, Charles Konowal - Camera Operator, Ian Matheson - Camera Operator, Neal Norton - Camera Operator, Douglas R. Field - Camera Operator, Lars German - Camera Operator, Gerard Manjarrez - Camera Operator, Dean Bennett - Camera Operator, Herbert Pinter - Production Designer, John Willett - Production Designer, Daryn Okada - Cinematographer, Don McCuaig - Cinematographer, James W. Wrenn - Cinematographer, Cameron McDonald - Cinematographer, Alan Greisman - Producer, Frank Price - Producer, Pia Ana Corti - Set Designer, Peter Stratford - Set Designer, Paul Healy - Set Designer, Louise Middleton - Set Designer, Robin A. Swiderski - Set Designer, Leslie Taylor - Set Designer, Digiscope - Special Effects, Peter J. Verrando - Sound Mixer, Shane Connelly - Sound Mixer, George Tarrant - Sound Mixer, Ron Osiowy - Sound Mixer, Igal Petel - Sound Mixer, Trent Stewart - Sound Mixer, Dan Bradley - Stunts Coordinator, Guy Bews - Stunts Coordinator, Tom W. Eirikson - Stunts Coordinator, Kirk Jarrett - Stunts Coordinator, Douglas Berquist - Unit Production Manager, Hector Lopez - Unit Production Manager, Tom Benz - Unit Production Manager, Mary Church - Unit Production Manager, Martin Copeland - Screenwriter, John Milius - Screenwriter, Ehren Kruger - Screenwriter, Scott Busby - Screenwriter, Nancy Snyder - Production Assistant, David Atkinson - Production Assistant, Luis Berumen - Production Assistant, Dianna Brown - Production Assistant, Daniela Ganot - Production Assistant, Arturo Haro - Production Assistant, Coli Maier - Production Assistant, Catherine McGovern - Production Assistant, Michael Piccorrillo - Production Assistant, Mark Shultz - Production Assistant, Janet Stephen - Production Assistant, Carolyn Traub - Production Assistant, Brad Kuehn - Visual Effects Supervisor, Mark Freund - Visual Effects Supervisor, Don Harper - Additional Music, Graham Ware - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Andrew Simpson - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Big Loop Cattle C - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, H. Daniel Gross - Executive in Charge of Production, Kevin Hyman - Executive in Charge of Production, Phil Parks - Unit Publicist, Chris Alexander - First Assistant Camera, John Seal Jr. - First Assistant Camera, Ernest Spiteri - First Assistant Camera, Brian Johnson - First Assistant Camera, Cam North - First Assistant Camera, Greg Beaton - First Assistant Camera, Pablo Cuevas - First Assistant Camera, Santia Navarette - First Assistant Camera, Paul Prince - First Assistant Camera, Lohengrin Zapian - First Assistant Camera, Jose Gutierrez - First Assistant Camera, Benito Aguilar - Gaffer, Michael Drabot - Gaffer, Jim Greggor - Gaffer, Robin J. Loewen - Gaffer, Chris Banting - Grip, Manuel Cordero - Grip, Dean Cuming - Grip, Greg Fullalove - Grip, Warren Gibson - Grip, Steve Giroux - Grip, Shane "Cone" Head - Grip, Antonio Jara - Grip, Logan McPherson - Grip, Andres Medina - Grip, Jose Luis Mendez - Grip, Ed Moyer - Grip, Juan Carlos Rodriguez - Grip, Daryl Strilchuk - Grip, Roger Wiebe - Grip, Thomas Campbell - Grip, Roch Daigle - Grip, Paul Marshall - Grip, Larry Geiger - Key Grip, Cruz Paredes - Key Grip, Tim Sauder - Key Grip, Salvador Serrano - Key Grip, Geoffrey L. Yates - Key Grip, Robert Johnson - Key Grip, Jeanette Surga - Music Editor, Robert Hackl - Post Production Supervisor, Leslie Cowan - Production Coordinator, Cynthia Graves - Production Coordinator, Lincoln Lageson - Production Supervisor, Michael Charske - Production Supervisor, Brian J. Gordon - Production Supervisor, Ken Wills - Properties Master, Myron Nettinga - Re-Recording Mixer, Patrick Cyccone Jr. - Re-Recording Mixer, Sandi Cameron - Script Supervisor, Marion Milner - Script Supervisor, Madeleine Rozon - Script Supervisor, Christine Moore - Script Supervisor, Greg Palmer - Second Assistant Director, Kevin Fair - Second Assistant Director, Hugo Gutierrez - Second Assistant Director, Robert Randall - Second Assistant Director, Kate Vanderbyl - Second Assistant Director, Terry Bunce - Special Effects Assistant, Barry "Bearcat" Cameron - Special Effects Assistant, Chad Dolan - Special Effects Assistant, Jaime Ramirez - Special Effects Assistant, Alan Waldron - Special Effects Assistant, Scott Martin Gershin - Sound Effects Director, Richard Dwan - Sound Effects Director, Randy Kelley - Sound Effects Director, Tom Ozanich - Sound Effects Director, Guy Tsujimoto - Sound Effects Director, Peter Zinda - Sound Effects Director, Joel Whist - Special Effects Coordinator, Jorge Farfan Barros - Special Effects Coordinator, Chris Large - Still Photographer, Larry Kemp - Supervising Sound Editor, Ron Bedrosian - ADR Mixer, Brian Basham - ADR Recordist, Jennifer Haffenden - Assistant Costumer Designer, Guadalupe Ramirez - Assistant Hair, Brenda Sophone - Assistant Hair, Laura Demoissac - Assistant Hair, Emma Hill - Assistant Hair, Darryl Solly - Assistant Location Manager, Travis Becker - Assistant Location Manager, Richard Duffy - Assistant Location Manager, Cindy French - Assistant Location Manager, Ed Huery - Assistant Location Manager, Erasto Mijares - Assistant Location Manager, Kristina Obad - Assistant Location Manager, Michele Picaard - Assistant Location Manager, Lance Singbeil - Assistant Location Manager, Tabetha White - Assistant Location Manager, Al Magallon - Assistant Makeup, Mike D. Carr - Assistant Makeup, Douglas Morrow - Assistant Makeup, Bruce Gammell - Assistant Properties, Justin Onofriechuk - Assistant Properties, Todd Egan - Assistant Sound Editor, Thomas Younkman - Assistant Sound Editor, Larry Johnson - Best Boy Electric, Lorne Bailey - Best Boy Electric, Derek Carrier - Best Boy Electric, Reyes Santamaria Vilchis - Best Boy Electric, Rick Youck - Best Boy Electric, Dominique Balcaen - Best Boy Grip, Gary Bower - Best Boy Grip, Derek Carrier - Best Boy Grip, Marc Purdy - Best Boy Grip, Peter Schalakowskyj - Best Boy Grip, Mauricio Vega - Best Boy Grip, Hector Medina - Camera Loader, Donna Brower - Casting Assistant, Rhonda Fisekci - Casting Assistant, Martina Smyth - Casting Assistant, Leyton Morris - Construction Coordinator, Chris Hunter - Dolly Grip, Pablo Castillo - Dolly Grip, Larry Geiger - Dolly Grip, Richard Hansen - Dolly Grip, Stephen P. Madden - Dolly Grip, Ron Ronsetti - Dolly Grip, Tim Sauder - Dolly Grip, Aaron Stewart - Electrician, Tim Dutchak - Electrician, Luis La Guerrero - Electrician, Larry R.J. Jones - Electrician, T. Dean Merrells - Electrician, Victor M Ramirez - Electrician, Renee Tanus - Electrician, Classic Casting - Extra Casting, Alyson Lockwood - Extra Casting, Alex Renskoff - First Assistant Editor, Gregory Alan D'Auria - First Assistant Editor, Zane D. Bruce - Foley Artist, Joseph Sabella - Foley Artist, Grant S. Goodman - Greensman, Ryan Thiemann - Greensman, Randy Schrader - Greensman, Peter Topp - Greensman, Jose Luis Montero - Key Costumer, Janet MacDonald - Key Hairstylist, Don Olson - Key Hairstylist, Bryon Callaghan - Key Make-up, Peter Carty - Second Assistant Camera, Robert Devitt - Second Assistant Camera, Sara Pickett - Second Assistant Camera, Devin Galaudet - Second Assistant Editor, Jose Carrillo - Set Dresser, Nestor Gonzalez - Set Dresser, Graig Lazdins - Set Dresser, Jonas Owens - Set Dresser, Raquel V. Reyes - Set Dresser, Dwayne Smolnicky - Set Dresser, Mario Hernandez - Set Dresser, Claudia Abuali - Set Dresser, James Gray - Set Dresser, Ted Boonthanakit - Storyboard Artist, George Durham - Book Author, Julian Alvarez - Generator Operator, Mike Kolafa - Generator Operator, Andrew Thom - Generator Operator, Charlie Ulm - Motion Control Camera, Gary Burritt - Negative Cutter, Jason Hoffas - Set Medic/First Aid, Chris Lamb - Third Assistant Director, Matt Maloney - Third Assistant Director, Rafael Perez - Third Assistant Director, Brian McGugan - Video Playback, Benny Bach - Video Playback, Rob Doak - Video Playback, Edna Jerkov - Video Playback, Paul T. Leblanc - Video Playback, Howard A. Anderson Company - Title Design, Nina Saxon - Title Design, New Wave Entertainment - Title Design, Jurgen Lutze - Head Carpenter, Tom Scheitel - Head Carpenter
Ten years after the Civil War has ended, the Governor of Texas asks Leander McNelly (McDermott) to form a company of Rangers to help uphold the law along the Mexican border. With a few veterans of the war (Patrick, Travis), most of the recruits are young men (Van Der Beek, Kutcher, Raymond) who have little or no experience with guns or policing crime. The antagonist of the story is John King Fisher (Molina) who is stealing cattle, killing the young rangers and fleeing into Mexico.
The film is loosely based on the activities of Leander H. McNelly and the Special Force of the Texas Rangers, but it takes considerable liberties with the historical record (McNelly is shown dying of tuberculosis shortly after the climax of the action, when in real life he had retired from the Rangers the year before; King Fisher was not actually killed by the Rangers, but came to an agreement with them).
While filmed in 1999, it was not released until 2001.
After McNelly and his men pursue Fisher for a while, they fall into a trap, where many of the young and ill-trained rangers are killed. Defeated and low on morale, the men fall back to a ranch house and attempt to set up an ambush for Fisher. After being double crossed by a woman (perhaps unwittingly), the rangers remain one step behind Fisher and his men. Two of the rangers follow Fisher and his men to the Mexican border, where they wait for the rest of their company. Once the entire Ranger company arrives at the Mexican border, they plan their final attack. In a final gun-slinging showdown, the Rangers face off against Fisher and his men.
When Lincoln Rogers Dunnison meets George Durham and arrives in Brownsville, Lincoln's facial hair changes as his sideburns get thinner and change shape.
The film takes place along the Nueces Strip, the coastal line from Nueces County to Brownsville. However, the film frequently shows hills and mountains, which are not found within 200 miles of the Nueces Strip.
Reception
Texas Rangers was widely panned by critics, getting a 4% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. [1]
