Name: The Old Way
Genre: Action, Drama, Western
Released: 2023-01-06T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Noah Le Gros, Clint Howard, Shiloh Fernandez

The blood spatters across the wall in jagged letters: “I’ll be back.” It’s a moment that should pulse with menace, but in Brett Donowho’s The Old Way, it lands with all the weight of a script read aloud at an acting workshop. This Western, starring Nicolas Cage as retired gunfighter Colton Briggs, wants to be a meditation on violence and legacy, but too often settles for being a paint-by-numbers revenge tale.

Donowho and screenwriter Carl W. Lucas try to inject some thematic heft into the proceedings, exploring Colton’s struggle to leave his past behind and the strain it puts on his relationship with his daughter Brooke (Ryan Kiera Armstrong). There are moments when this works—Cage’s performance is at its most compelling when he’s grappling with the ghost of his former self. But these glimmers of depth are too often smothered by a script that can’t decide if it wants to be a character study or an action-packed shootout extravaganza.

The film’s best moments come when it leans into its sociopathic characters. The tense standoffs and morally murky decisions keep the story engaging. However, these sequences are too few and far between. Much of The Old Way is bogged down by predictable plotting and a pace that feels sluggish, even during supposed action beats. The film’s low budget is evident in the lackluster production design and some less-than-stellar performances from the supporting cast.

That said, Cage delivers a committed performance, even if it’s one we’ve seen from him before. His Colton Briggs is a familiar type—the aging outlaw trying to atone for his sins—but Cage brings a weary intensity to the role that makes it watchable. Ryan Kiera Armstrong also stands out as Brooke, bringing a raw emotionality to her scenes that elevates the material.

The film’s climax, where Colton must choose between his life and his daughter’s, is its most satisfying beat. It’s a moment that finally delivers on the moral complexity promised by the setup, even if it arrives too little, too late. The ending does provide some closure, but it feels more like a consolation prize than a true payoff.

Ultimately, The Old Way is a missed opportunity.