The Big Empty (2003)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Steve Anderson

Writer:

Steve Anderson (writer)

Release Date:

28 August 2009 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Cowboys. Aliens. Blue suitcases and bowling balls. Strange things are happening out in the middle of nowhere.

Plot:

A budding actor is faced with a stalled career and a mountain of debt.

Plot Keywords:

Budding Actor | Desert | Gas Station | Bed | Neighbor

Cast

Jon Favreau	...	John Person
Joey Lauren Adams	...	Grace
Bud Cort	...	Neely
Jon Gries	...	Elron
Daryl Hannah	...	Stella
Adam Beach	...	Randy
Gary Farmer	...	Indian Bob
Rachael Leigh Cook	...	Ruthie
Brent Briscoe	...	Dan
Melora Walters	...	Candy
Kelsey Grammer	...	Agent Banks
Sean Bean	...	Cowboy
Alejandra Aguilan	...	Traveler
Jay Brothers	...	Traveler
Sara Fouts	...	Traveler

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual dialogue.

Runtime:

USA:94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M (TV rating) | Australia:MA | USA:R | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Baker, California, USA

Company:

Aura Entertainment

Goofs:

Continuity: Bob drives off from the circle over his own tracks (3-point turn), but in the rotating shot in the morning, his tracks run off in a smooth curve like he simply drove forward in a tight turn.

Quotes:

Cowboy: There's been a little hitch in the giddy-up.

Movie Connections:

References The Shining (1980)

Soundtrack:

HONKYTONK MANIAC FROM MARS

Unnecessarily abbreviated.

This could be an excellent little suspense yarn with a touch of sci-fi in the brew, and in many respects it is. But (the DVD version of) the film is only 92 minutes long, and there were at least three scenes chopped down that needed to contribute important information to the continuity. Leaving them in completely would have added no more than a few minutes to an already short story, but as stripped, there are three situations left unexplained, along with a comment from Cowboy that clarifies what he is up to and defines his role.

What does a cowboy do? He rides the range in search of cattle, and when he has a herd, he delivers them to the slaughter house where they end up as hamburgers. A similar story was given many years ago in a Twilight Zone or Outer Limits show, about space aliens inviting humans to go away with them to a paradise in the sky. The humans were given a book to decipher, which the aliens claimed would reveal their ultimate intent, but the humans couldn't figure it out. Hundreds of them had already left, and more were waiting in line, before someone finally translated the title. It was a "cook book"! In other words, as in this story, the promise of a glittering future among the aliens turned out to have a darker side.

As anyone can see from the DVD version, the important three shortened scenes establish key points in the plot. They are called "Going for a ride," "Get in the room," and "Git along little doggie," the latter of which concerns a rather chilling remark by Cowboy. These three scenes should not have been truncated, because they are central to the story. The edited out parts only amount to an extra few minutes, but they add clarity to three situations that otherwise leave one wondering what was missing. Otherwise a good story.