Imagine a western film. Now, with that mind, replace all of the good actors with popular actors from the 80's. Now, insert an 80's guitar soundtrack, coupled with some "ye olde John Wayne" tracks. Throw in a horrible script and some lame acting, and you've got Young Guns.

The plot focuses on around the (largely fictional, here) account of Billy the Kid, as well as his fellow outlaws. The beginning shots alone feel like some sort of misguided, corny, and insulting attitude toward Westerns. Six guys walk up a hill and unload their guns at the screen. Then, we see Billy get "rescued" by this guy for seemingly no reason. For those who know nothing about Billy the Kid, they'll probably be lost within the first 15 minutes. Heck, those who DO will probably be lost too. For 2/3rd of the film, the pace is so outrageously fast that characterization is close to impossible. This isn't helped by the script, which makes the dialogue feel more like exposition rather than characters interacting naturally. The characters don't move the plot here - the plot moves the characters, all of whom are dull and uninteresting due to their lack of characterization.

Like I mentioned earlier, the soundtrack is just AWFUL. The 80's guitar makes me feel like I'm listening to Flock of Seagulls, which is just as annoying as it making the film seem really aged. And when it's not the "classic 80's" guitar, it's your stereotypical and dreadful noises which I refuse to call a soundtrack. You know what I mean...those old hillbilly-esque tunes which passed for Western music in your grandmother's days.

The performances aren't all that bad either, though they're not helped by this garbage script. The only person who manages to give a memorable performance, assuming there's anything worth remembering about this movie, is Emilio Estevez as Billy The Kid, with his only shining moments being when he kills somebody. Speaking of this actor, what were they thinking with this casting? The guy from The Breakfast Club? Charlie Sheen? Geez. I understand the whole Brat Pack mentality, but that doesn't excuse sucky movie-making. This world needs more Breakfast Club-like films, come to think of it...

Even the action's not all that great, as it's been done before and better by soooo many different movies. Not to mention the cringe-worthy slow-motion sequences in the final showdown...so terrible. It felt like a really bad 80's music video.

No tension, no interesting characters, nothing memorable, Young Guns was a typical B-listed 80's movie that somehow, beyond me, got its own cult following.

2/10 - Terrible