Badlands

1973 ***1/2 94 mins.

While, visually, this film is beautiful to look at, the story had very little to hold my attention. A twenty-five year old cool guy (Martin Sheen) and a fifteen year old naive girl (Sissy Spacek) get together. He kills her father and they run away together, him killing anyone who gets in their way. It all leads to an ending that is beyond predictable. The performances are top-notch, though, especially Martin Sheen, and the cinematography and direction are superb.
Rated PG for violence.

• Original theatrical apsect ratio: 1.85:1
• Premiered at the New York Film Festival on October 13, 1973