Great outdoor cinematography highlight this darn good Western. The story of an aging outlaw returning home is engaging and the morality tale is delivered decisively. It has a number of dramatic details that make it believable (taking a slice of meat off the dead horse and roasting it on the campfire).

In all the expanse of the Bolivian landscape the humanity and characterizations are not lost and we care about Butch Cassidy, his lady love, and even the ex-Pinkerton who discovers, then assists our anti-hero on his way to settle the score.

All the elements of classic Westerns are at work here and the pace is methodical and maintained for a rhythmic ride. The gun-play is realistic and never stylized and the result is a new Western with an old West feel.

BLACKTHORN is a low key little western story with the added attraction of having been filmed in Bolivia. It's a semi-sequel of sorts to BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, supposedly based on a real-life bit of historical research that revealed the pair weren't killed by Bolivian soldiers in a shoot out after all. What really happened is shown in brief flashbacks in which Butch is played by GAME OF THRONES star Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau , and it's more downbeat and realistic than in the Hollywood production.

Otherwise, this film is very much unlike the glossy Paul Newman-starrer. There's no humour for a start, just an understated approach that makes this an art-house film. It's a lyrical mood piece in which glorious rolling landscapes and deserts are the backdrop to character-based plot twists. Sam Shepard plays an aged Cassidy in an understated way, leaving the brunt of the acting to Eduardo Noriega who plays his newfound associate. There's no action here to speak of aside from a couple of brief shoot-outs, just plot-building and pretty visuals.

Blackthorn is a slow burn elegiac western with a fine performance from Sam Shepard. The actor and playwright who passed away in 2017 shows here what an excellent actor he could be when given the right role.

Shepard plays the ageing Butch Cassidy who did not die in a shootout in Bolivia but laid low living a modest life with his housekeeper Yana and longing to go home which he tries to do when his old flame dies back in the USA.

On his way back to America Butch comes across a Spanish mining engineer named Eduardo Apodaca (Eduardo Noriega) who has stolen from a mining company and is now in pursuit. He has also scared off Butch's horse and saddlebag carrying his money. Butch decides to team up with this young upstart who does not realise that legendary outlaw he is riding with.

However pretty soon McKinley (Stephen Rea) an old alcoholic agent from the Pinkerton Gang senses Butch's scent as he never believed that Butch died all those years ago.

This is a contemplative film, with maybe a too simple story. McKinley indicates to Butch at one point that he has become too trusting in his old age. There are some flashbacks to Butch and Sundance's younger days. The film has wonderful photography and stands testament to Shepard's vast talents.