I'm a huge enthusiast of the original Deadwood show. I watched it when it originally aired, and have watched it many times since then. I consider it to be one of the greatest shows ever made. As you might imagine, I was very excited about this movie and a return to Deadwood. However, I watched the movie yesterday and can tell you I'm disappointed with what I saw.
Here is the main issues I had with this movie: (This review will contain spoilers from now on)
Lastly, the violence and swearing the TV show was renowned for is noticeably absent here. I don't know if it had to be dulled down for a straight to TV movie, or if it was due to having different writers, but it's certainly not the same. I didn't like the movie and honestly feel it would need a complete season 4 to do this program justice. I know many will say 'something is better than nothing' but in this case I disagree. If a 4th season was never on the table they should've just left it.
Here is the main issues I had with this movie: (This review will contain spoilers from now on)
- The dialogue is noticeably different. I did read that the original writer couldn't work on this show and my goodness does it show. The words aren't as memorable, poetic, witty, etc. It's all very bland when compared to the original series and there's none of those classic exchanges we remember so well.
- Doc Cochran had TB at the end of Season 3 and this was never addressed in the Movie. Also, E.B. Farnum's hotel might have a new balcony but how is it he can now move around the outside of the hotel building in secret passageways looking through peepholes? E.B. was always very intrusive when it came to the business of others and had such passages existed prior we would've been made aware of that during the original three seasons of the show. Also, Calamity Jane shoots a man dead in the movie which is very uncharacteristic as she always had a big mouth but you could "knock her over with a feather".
- Many of the characters have been brought back but they're not performing their original roles. Instead, they've been shoehorned in to others in order to further what little plot their is. Harry Manning, the harmless would be firefighter, is now a treacherous underling of George Hurst. Aunt Lou isn't a cook at the hotel anymore instead she's a midwife which is convenient since there's a baby needing delivered. Even Con Stapleton has somehow become a minister which is also handy as there's a body to be buried and a wedding to oversee. Yes, the show has many of the same actors but they weren't needed and have been shoehorned in to various roles for the sake of getting on screen.
- There is no new storylines here. The movie spends a good while reintroducing all the characters when they didn't have time for that. Once the characters have been introduced and they've tried to reignite the hostility between the camp and Hurst the movie is quickly coming to a close.
- Hurst is a brutal man who forces others to bend to his will. He wanted Trixie dead and bribed a couple of nearby Sheriffs to execute a warrant on it. He wanted a piece of land and the camp denied that to him. The Sheriff also embarrasses Hurst by yet again dragging him by the ear in to cells. Hurst is an extremely powerful person and you would imagine the Pinkertons would be called in and murdering to start taking place after this movie ends. There's no real resolution as far as Hurst goes we're exactly where we left off.
- Following on from my last point about Hurts. In season 3 Hurst kills the husband of Alma Garret to force her to sell her land to him. Alma complies because she has to, Hurst will stop at nothing to get what he wants. In the movie Alma buys a piece of land Hurst wants to install telephone polls thus putting herself in the exact same situation as she was back in season 3. That makes very little sense. Similarly, the killing of Ellseworth (Alma's husband) results in conflict with the entire camp and the Sheriff in a fit of temper locks up Hurst dragging him by the ear to jail. In the movie Hurst kills another man because he wants land, is lead to the jail house by the ear, but we're to believe Hurst will be issued justice this time? The same Hurst who can rig entire elections and have his man appointed Sherriff? The same Hurst who, with one call, can have the Pinkertons fall upon on Deadwood like locusts? The same Hurst who can bride just about anyone and swing juries whichever way he sees fit? A kicking in the thoroughfair wouldn't humble Hurst or make him back down he's a savage sociopath.
- Al Swearengen is the strongest character on the show. We want to see him cutting throats and working on his "deployments and flanking manoeuvres". Sadly, Al is portrayed as a shell of his former self in this movie and we're not treated to the formidable, intelligent, witty, cut throat we all know and loved. In the end it seems like they killed him off although we get a Soprano style fade to black rather than something conclusive so I guess we'll never know.
- Al, who is apparently dying, leaves his saloon to Trixie. Now, Al and Dan were cutting throats in the woods a long time before they even entered the Deadwood camp. They built the Gem Saloon together "blow for blow". Dan is Al's right hand man is nothing but a "creature on hind legs" without him. Yet, this new Al decides to hand the Gem over to Trixie (who has long since moved on and has an independently wealthy husband) and tells her she can turn his bar in to a dancehall. Dan's years of loyalty (something that these two would never break) apparently counts for nothing.
Lastly, the violence and swearing the TV show was renowned for is noticeably absent here. I don't know if it had to be dulled down for a straight to TV movie, or if it was due to having different writers, but it's certainly not the same. I didn't like the movie and honestly feel it would need a complete season 4 to do this program justice. I know many will say 'something is better than nothing' but in this case I disagree. If a 4th season was never on the table they should've just left it.