Jane Got a Gun

Not all battles on American soil during the Civil War were contested between Union and Confederate soldiers. Out west, reckless gunslingers and ruthless outlaws fought for considerably lower stakes but equally high prices.

That’s the setting for Jane Got a Gun, a handsomely mounted Western that features a tough-minded heroine but ultimately traverses familiar territory with themes of revenge and betrayal culminating in an obligatory frontier showdown.

Taking place in New Mexico during Reconstruction, the story opens with Jane (Natalie Portman) becoming the caretaker for her bedridden husband, Bill (Noah Emmerich), a fur trader who was shot on horseback by a vengeful gang led by McCann (Ewan McGregor) as part of a longstanding feud.

Jane quickly realizes that the danger isn’t over, and knows she must defend her home and Bill from another attack. But she can’t do it alone, so she reluctantly enlists the help of Dan (Joel Edgerton), a jealous former flame who also has an adversarial history with Bill.

Details are gradually revealed, mostly through extended flashbacks, about the relationships between the primary characters and their motives for wanting one another dead or alive. Then again, in this cutthroat culture where the lines are blurred between heroes and villains and the greedy far outnumber the virtuous, loyalty often belongs to the highest bidder.

Jane walks and talks the part of a capable cowgirl, yet the film’s feminist undertones don’t resonate as strongly as they should. Portman nicely balances strength and vulnerability in her performance, even if her character is too naïve and idealistic. As for McGregor (her erstwhile ally in three Star Wars prequels), his gangster’s dialogue is as slick as his hair, only lacking a couple of mustache twirls for the full cartoonish effect.

Jane Got a Gun apparently was victimized by some last-minute cast and crew shuffling that might have led to its uneven nature and release delays. It wound up in the hands of director Gavin O’Connor (Miracle), who captures the prairies and rural landscapes with visual flair, although the result is more about style than substance.

The deliberately paced film has more talk than action. However, as the bullets and bloodshed escalate in the third act, the characters aren’t intriguing enough to generate the desired emotional payoff. Everyone involved has done better elsewhere.

Rated R, 98 minutes.