Comanche Moon Reviews

• How Did Lonesome Dove Get Its Name?

  
  By A3KKM0T1KY42HA on 2008-02-05
  Just in case you're either new to the Lonesome Dove series, or you're wondering if this DVD is the complete miniseries but you're confused by the title "second chapter"....This is indeed the complete Comanche Moon series DVD, and it's the "second chapter" because the chronology of the story is:
  
  -Dead Man's Walk
  -Comanche Moon
  -Lonesome Dove
  -Streets of Laredo
  
  Although, the way The Lonesome Dove book series was written by Larry McMurtry fell in this order:
  
  -Lonesome Dove (1985)
  -Streets Of Laredo (1993)
  -Dead Man's Walk (1995)
  -Comanche Moon (1997)
  
  Lonesome Dove, the novel and the miniseries, were as classic as classic gets. The Novel is one of the only books that I've ever read more than once. And the miniseries adaptation is just as memorable. The miniseries starred Robert Duvall as Augustus McCrae, Tommy Lee Jones as Woodrow Call, Rick Schroder as Newt, Diane Lane as Lorena Wood, Danny Glover as Joshua Deets, Robert Urich as Jake Spoon and Anjelica Huston as Clara Allen. What a line up of A-listers giving A-list performances. Duvall and Jones absolutely nailed the characters created by McMurtry in the novel. And Director Simon Wincer really preserved the integrity of the novel.
  
  Streets of Laredo and Dead Man's Walk were good books, and adapted to fair-at-best miniseries. So when I saw that Comanche Moon was coming to CBS as the final book adaptation miniseries in January 2008, I was not that excited. But I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. Comanche Moon was a very good book and the miniseries was equally satisfying.
  
  In Comanche Moon we find McCrae and Call as Texas Rangers as the Civil War is ending. They aren't involved in the Civil War as much as they are still battling the Comanches as well the cruel and diabolical bandit Ahumado. Val Kilmer is Captain Skull, and together with Gus, Woodrow and some other rangers they head out to the plains to get the bad guys.
  
  There's a good amount of violence in some sequences, but some of the brutalities in the book have been tamed down for TV. (I.e. in the book Captain Skull's eyelids are removed by one of Ahumado's henchmen as a form of torture; that treatment is completely removed from the TV series.)
  
  The miniseries producers did a smart thing: They brought back Wincer in the director's chair. And he once again brought a McMurtry novel to life with class and integrity. Comanche Moon (the novel or the miniseries) is no classic like Lonesome Dove was, but it was highly entertaining and enjoyable. However, like the last third of the novel, the Comanche Moon miniseries comes to grueling slow-down (in part 3 of the 3-part series). But it didn't take away from the enjoyment of watching Gus, Call and their crew as young, Pre-Lonesome Dove Texas Rangers looking for their place in life and trying to preserve life for others.
  
  Steve Zahn is Gus McCrae and Karl Urban is Woodrow Call. They clearly read the book, watched the first miniseries and got some terrific direction from Director Wincer; they really captured the essence of their characters. And Val Kilmer should get an award for his portrayal of Captain Skull. There are some other popular (TV) actors in Comanche Moon, and they all combine to give us a very good CBS miniseries based on a very good book.
  
  If you missed Comanche Moon on TV and you liked Lonesome Dove, you'll find this DVD quite enjoyable...with no commercials. Oh, and just how did the town of Lonesome Dove get its name?...Well, you'll just have to add this DVD to yer cart to find that out, pards.
  
  
  
  
  

• Extended Version Is Good News

  
  By A3I49HL6XR62DI on 2008-02-13
  The important news for anyone considering purchase of this DVD is that it is the extended version -- which means that all the stuff CBS cut out so that they could squeeze in 8 million commercials is back. This is 284 minutes WITHOUT commercials. Regardless . . . Comanche Moon is a quality production . . . a very rare thing on TV today. The story is intelligent and the acting quality very good. Many critics roasted Val Kilmer, calling his performance over the top. I have news, folks . . . the character he plays was intended to be over the top. This is a very refreshing mini-series. Most of what we get on TV today is total garbage. Watch Steve Zahn reprise Robert Duvall's role. It's worth the price of the DVD just to see Zahn in this serious role. And Wes Studi is great as Buffalo Hump. For anyone who loved the Lonesome Dove mini-series, this is a must have. This is where it all began, pardner. It's great fun seeing the characters at this early stage in their lives and trying to figure out who is who and remembering what happens to them later. Ever wonder how Blue Duck got so nuts? Highly recommended if you like quality TV!
  
  

• What a Fiasco, Especially Compared to LONESOME DOVE

  
  By AZ8FKR5XSGHNR on 2008-01-16
  I'll start by saying I loved LONESOME DOVE. However, as great as that mini-series was, that's how awful COMANCHE MOON is. It's tedious, boring, and completely historically inaccurate. The action shown in the commercials is about all the action you'll see. The rest is long, talky, boring filler.
  
  How can a writer like Larry McMurtry have Gus say to Call "We don't even own the horses we're riding" when anyone over the age of six who knows anything at all about the Texas Rangers knows the Rangers had to provide their own horses? The State of Texas didn't furnish them. Basic and obvious error.
  
  The story is full of holes like that. Men talking about their "Ranger careers" when before the Civil War, when this story is set, the Texas Rangers were a volunteer force. No one made a career of Rangering at that time.
  
  The acting is inept, the characters cliches, the settings bizarre. "Austin" is set in the middle of a near-desert. The land bears no resemblance to the topography around the real Austin. The Comanche attack on Austin is weird beyond belief. Why not have that take place around Victoria or Galveston where such events really happened.
  
  You have riders in Western saddles posting to the trot as if they were on a hunt course, and a horse that was supposedly gored by a longhorn just standing there calm as can be, not showing a sign of distress or pain as obviously fake blood pours from its belly. As another person said, this film is so bad even the horses can't act. The producers couldn't even get the birds right. A "parrot" is actually a blue and gold macaw.
  
  The big buildup to what the viewer is led to believe will be a major confrontation between Captain Scull and Ahlomado, his captor, leads to a bizarre and nothing denouement.
  
  There are so many errors, plot flaws, and just plain bad scenes, lines, and acting a list of them would be as long as the COMANCHE MOON script.
  
  Don't waste your money on this DVD. Just watch LONESOME DOVE again. You'll do far better.
  
  

• -Hey Cisco, hey Pancho

  
  By A35W02MUVYH1RF on 2008-01-18
  I have been waiting to remember why I loved the first Lonesome Dove and basically not liking any that followed. The friendship between Woodrow
  and Cal while the horror goes on is similar to our sit at home watching TV
  America. It is a nice Yin Yang dark and light that reflects our real world.
  Friendship is how we get through all the BS. Comanche Moon with all the
  the excellent production values and excellent acting had me whistling in appreciation; I was not bothered a bit by the historical mistakes because the charm of the characters had me smiling. Sequels are tough and it is
  hard to live up our memories of a great series. Comanche Moon completes
  the saga: the beginning journey that illuminates Lonesome Dove's
  bitter sweets themes.
  
  
  

• Excellent predecessor to Lonseome Dove

  
  By A3J9NLTHIK0R1B on 2008-01-17
  Having seen Lonesome Dove and in 1989, I was a bit skeptical about a "prequel" to this great mini-series. But I must admit, Steve Zahn did an amazing job of a young August McRae and reminding me how much I loved Robert Duvall's character - adult Gus. Slow to start on the first night, but well worth the wait to see Inez Scull get her just desserts! Watching this new part of the saga makes me want to buy this one and the Loneseome Dove original and watch them over and over again!
  
  
• Disappointed
  By A1CK38R0D4ISMA on 2008-01-17
  I read the book first and loved it. Could'nt wait for the movie. The acting was only mediocre. Steve Zahn was good as Augustus Mcrea. He seemed to have studied Robert Duvall's mannerism's, speech and hand gestures. He is no Robert Duvall though. The other fellow who played Captain Call was not up to snuff. He had a long way to go to be as good as Tommy lee Jones. I like Val Kilmer as an actor but the part he played really was weird. Sort of a loony rich man. Didn't seem to be an important part of the movie. Wes Studi was great as Buffalo Hump. Would like to have seen his part more in the movie. I liked the little boy that played Newt. He did a good job. Very likable. This movie ranks low in my book in the Lonesome Dove Movies. The original Lonesome Dove was the best.Return to Lonesome Dove and Streets of Laredo are a close second and third. This one lacked something the others had. Maybe not as emotional and not as good actors. I probably will not buy this dvd. It's just not good enough for my library. Too bad.
  Steve
  
  
• Bonanza
  By A2AX102C9F65WA on 2008-03-02
  Aside from the simple novelty of watching the events that lead to Lonesome Dove, there really is little to recommend in this final chapter of McMurtry's saga. McMurtry teamed with "Brokeback Mountain" partner Diana Ossana to adapt the novel into this six-hour film, and the result is a handful of powerful moments stretched across a throwback to the silly Western shams of the 1950's. The acting is mostly hokey or stiff, and Val Kilmer's Captain Inish Scull seems to have been played for laughs. Steve Zahn's Gus McCrae is something of a bright spot: He captures McCrae's loneliness, and humor, with just the right tone. Not only does Karl Urban's flat Woodrow Call make Tommy Lee Jones look like a clown in comparison, Urban and Zahn have no chemistry. Elizabeth Banks, as Maggie, is dull until she starts to cough. Linda Cardellini's Clara squeaks a lot. The screenplay feels like one big reflection on Lonesome Dove, and its sloppy narrative blows across the wasteland of this miniseries like a tumbleweed. Ultimately, one can only wish McMurtry would have walked away after Lonesome Dove, and allowed that majestic masterpiece to sit alone.
  
  
• Do not bother!
  By A1WU88210QREA2 on 2008-01-17
  Long and boring with little action, they do not even give you the thrill of seeing the good guys fight the bad guys! They spend too much time on the loves and lives of the Austin women, more like a romance instead of a western.
  The worst of the movie is how the American Indians are treated. They receive little credit and hardly any lines, they are even listed last on the opening credits! Wes Studi plays Buffalo Hump, he is a magnificent actor and I do not believe they justified his talent. Adam Beach plays Blue Duck, he is also a very talent actor, he had very limited parts which is not fair considering Blue Duck and Buffalo Hump are main characters in the novel the movie is based on. The no name white women received more lines than Wes and Adam put together. Eddie Spears, star of Black Cloud, is a rising young star and they show him sitting on a horse for like three seconds. Unless you research the movie, you do not even know he is playing Quannah Parker. I would have much rather watched these warriors in battle rather than listen to Clara and Maggie cry over their love lives. But as usual they show the Indians as a bunch of wild savages raping white women instead of brave warriors fighting for their race's survival. For those of those who do not know any better Buffalo Hump and Quannah Parker were not fictional characters.
  The rangers do not fight, do not rescue, do nothing much except ride around and look at everything and everyone like they are in a trance. I think they are also talented actors, just received poor lines.
  And yes, I have read the book. The book does not spend this much time on the women and the book has action! It is the movie and the acting that I am reviewing, not the book. The book serves as a basic format, no movie is ever the same as the book. The Comanche Moon screenplay was co-written with Diana Ossana.
  
  
• Not Lonesome Dove, but still good
  By A2OF63HGS7CVK9 on 2008-01-22
  This is the second part, fourth to be presented (I do not count the pathetic, not enough words to describe how bad it was, non-McMurtry "Return to Lonesome Dove" as a part) in the Lonesome Dove series. The book and the mini-series are simply is not as good as Lonesome Dove. That said, it is certainly not as bad as many here have said. A consistent criticism seems to be the odd story lines, such as with Capt. Scull and his never completed climax with Ahumado. Like it or dislike it, odd twists are staples of McMurtry writing. You're not going to see them dueling in the middle of Main Street. Having the arch villain bitten by a spider is much more likely in McMurtry's world.
  
  Steve Zahn does a good job mimicking Robert Duvall's Augustus McCrae. Some pan this and others like it. I find myself in the latter camp. When all is said and done, they are playing the character and trying to maintain some consistency. For that matter, David Arquette played Duvall playing McCrae in Dead Man's Walk as well. After Duvall's fantastic portrayal of Gus in Lonesome Dove, we wouldn't want Gus to act like Clint Eastwood. And while Karl Urban plays a stiff Woodrow Call, Call was stiff. That was the point of his character. If he wasn't, he would have married Maggie, Gus wouldn't have kept going off rangering and married Clara, and there wouldn't be a story to tell.
  
  Note that the story is NOT about the Comanches. Hence, although they provide the driving force behind the story, the Comanche characters do not have as many lines or as much face-time on screen. While the Comanche story would be one I would like to see, the Lonesome Dove series doesn't tell it. If it did, the series would be called "Palo Duro," not "Lonesome Dove."
  
  On the bright side, the story is an interesting one full of twists, despite having to fill in between a known beginning and known ending. It is not Lonesome Dove, but that is hard to expect.
  
  
  
• better than the other pre/se-quels
  By A2TWKDWRO6M4CQ on 2008-01-22
  I waited with increasing anticipation for this miniseries, and I must say, I was a little let down. Only a little though. It was nowhere near as bad as some of these reviews say (and I must say, being from Austin, there are parts of this city that ARE near-deserts) but it is also not as good as the original. It is, however, BY FAR the best of the other "Lonesome Dove" movies. I hated "Return to Lonesome Dove" enough to sour my impression of the original until I bought the DVD and remembered why I loved it in the first place. The best part of this prequel by far was Steve Zahn's interpretation of Gus. He had all of Robert Duval's mannerisms down and I felt that this prequel added significantly to the personal tragedy that "followed" in the original. A worthwhile watch (especially for Zahn) and an improvement, despite the historical inaccuracies, over anything with the "Lonesome Dove" tag on it since the original.
  
  
• A great tie-in
  By A39PSK31YJMMS1 on 2008-01-24
  I think this was an excellent prequel to Lonesome Dove! Granted... IT IS NOT LONESOME DOVE. They will never top that series... or even match it... who even expects it? When I say Steve Zahn playing Gus I thought, "This is going to be terrible! How did they select him?", but I was plesantly surprized! He was excellent as Gus... mimicing Duval I thought was great... irritating... not at all... this was a young Gus, just as I would have expected him to be. Steve did an excellent job! I did expect a little more from Karl. He could have opened up a little more, studied the character Call a little more. I just didn't find much in his character other than being stiff. The other characters: Deets, Pea Eye, and Jake Spoon where not developed in detail, but it did make connection... it was a short series. Maybe if it were as long as Lonesome Dove... Technically correct... probably not, but you can be just as critical to most all movies. I will certainly add it to my collection as it fills the gap. I do wish it were longer or that they would add another series prior to Lonesome Dove for further character development. I loved Val Kilmer's role, but I wished they would have developed or explored Gus and Calls' relationship with him more. His character was weird, but I suppose that he was a source lending to their qualities and his wife supporting Gus as a playboy.
  
  
• sick of you
  By A29UNOBNL031T5 on 2008-01-27
  Im so sick of all your review's ya its not as good as lonesome dove but everone knows that you dont have to say that anymore its been well over a decade just stop stating the obvious. i know you all say this mini series in historically incorect well whatever as long as larry mcmurty has something to do with it i dont care. Im not usually one to make a review but you people piss me off. I thought all the characters acted similar to how they should.You people are so stupid "Its to bad to add to my collection" I have over 700 vhs , you guys act like you have 3 movies that you think are really great but apparently you probably dont have a collection to add anything to. i will happily add this one to my lonesome dove collection. I wish the rest of you would stop critiqueing and live.
  
  
• HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT
  By AIRE17FTUMZJD on 2008-01-19
  I have been waiting for this, the last of the "Lomesome Dove" series, to make it to TV. I was hugely disapointed. I can't believe the author, Larry McMurtry, is credited with co-writing the screen play. The original "Lonesome Dove" was perhaps the best miniseries TV ever produced. The three follow ups, though not as good, were well done. "Comanche Moon" was a mess. Beinging with the poor screen play,the less then mediocre production, bad acting, ect. The camera work had the canvas of the old West to use, but I can't recall on time when they took advantage of the sceenery. The acting was just liveless. Even the little kid who played Newt look like a doll, when he should have look like a boy. The relationship between Gus and Clara that was so real and full of feeling in the original just left me cool.
  I should have known something was wrong when I saw that TV kept delaying its release. If there had not been a writters strike we may never have seen this Turkey.
  I am sorry that Lonesome Dove will end like this.
  
  
• New to this series, I rather enjoyed it!
  By A1T4GZNK9TIJ93 on 2008-01-20
  Not having seen or read Lonesome Dove, I viewed Comanche Moon with no expectations. I thought the acting and writing were both excellent, especially Val Kilmer. The cinematic style of this movie was "top notch western". I won't be buying the DVD's, but the movie itself was very entertaining and moving. I look forward to seeing Lonesome Dove now.
  
  
• finally
  By A2RC57D8N9BN6M on 2008-01-25
  I just finished watching Comanche moon, and I have to say I thought it was very good. Not nearly as good as lonesome dove, but that is like comparing apples to oranges. The original Lonesome dove is hands down one of the greatest westerns of our time. The actors were phenominal, the story was awesome, it pulled you in, and made you hold on the whole time. Most of Lonesome Dove's appeal in movie form was due to the great actors, Tommy Lee Jones is Woodrow Call, no one will ever play that part like he did. Gus is Robert Duvall, and no one will ever play that part as well as he did. However I thought these actors Steve Zahn and Karl Urban did a fairly good job at playing the parts. It is a hard act to follow, and they definitely did a better job then any other actors I have seen in any of the other Lonesome Dove series after the original. Watching the others, dead mans walk, streets of laredo, return to lonesome dove, was just uncomfortable watching the actors trying to portray the characters that Tommy lee Jones and Robert Duvall brought to life on the screen.
  
  I will defnitely buy this movie to add to my lonesome dove collection. To the review that said it wasnt historically accurate, it is a fictional series of books, not a historical one.
  
  
• Terrible acting
  By A9KJLNOUIBEC1 on 2008-02-01
  Watched the show on TV.. or to say the first installment only. The acting was so terrible it was laughable. Its a shame to see 'big name' actors do such a terrible job. I am wondering if this was written by some high school students and adapted for TV due to the writers' strike.
  
  
• We all miss Bill Wittliff
  By A1GL62ASUSYUD2 on 2008-01-28
  We all miss Bill Wittliff. He was the writer on the teleplay on LONESOME DOVE, and did a masterful job of bringing Larry McMurtry's book come alive on the screen. I have read all four books of the Lonesome Dove epic and have seen all of the TV adaptations.
  
  Like other reviewers I was looking forward to COMMANCHE MOON on TV. It was a wonderful read, with great characters, such as the Skulls. But unless I was dozing during the second episode, none of that seemed to lead anywhere.
  
  The New York Times was in my opinion a bit harsh calling the roles of Gus and Woodrow miscast. I think they did their best to mimic how these characters would have acted 15 years earlier in their lives.They did their best to inform the development of the characters over the years. But the reality is that Robert Duval and Tommy Lee Jones made these roles impossible to follow.
  
  I was surprised that McMurtry who is generally very careful in his research chose to stage a Commanche raid on Austin, especially when there actually was one on Galveston, that was the whole point of what Bear Hump was talking about in "driving to the sea."
  
  So I wound up showing the original to my friends once again on my 60 inch
  Pioneer Elite. We will always have Ogollola. Thanks Bill.(and Larry)
  
  
• A WEAKER THAN EXPECTED FINALE
  By A1OTGBG66P6K5Y on 2008-01-25
  
  A few years back I stumbled onto a used copy of the book, COMANCHE MOON, on sale at my local library. I bought it, eagerly read it, thoroughly enjoyed it and anxiously awaited what I assumed would be the inevitable excellent television release of the final film installment of the LONESOME DOVE saga.
  
  Now that the movie version of the book has been released, it's time to sort things out. First the good things.
  
  Simon Wincer, the director of the original LONESOME DOVE, is back with this video prequel. Wincer's eye is evident everywhere here as he paints panorama after panorama of a gorgeous western landscape. Wincer has become the consummate modern Western director and proves it again here.
  
  There are some wonderful surprises in the cast. At first I was skeptical about casting Steve Zahn in the role of Augustus McCrae. I assumed that Zahn, an actor famous for his airheaded portrayals of every character he has played, wouldn't have the ability to arise to a role defined, originally by the inimitable Robert Duvall. But as the miniseries played out I found Zahn to be, not only believable in the role, but also extremely credible and charming. It was easy to see him as a young Duvall or, more to the point, a young McCrae.
  
  Karl Urban does an equally fine job of portraying a young Woodrow Call. He's dry and straightforward, all business, with a stern approach to McMurtry's famous hero. Moreover, the chemistry between Urban and Zahn is just what it should be.
  
  We get a brief glimpse of Maggie Tilton's tragic character in DEAD MAN'S WALK. COMANCHE MOON develops her, as she becomes a key figure in the LONESOME DOVE story. Here Elizabeth Banks does a wonderful job of portraying a woman of feeling and tenderness, one who rises above the horrible life of a frontier whore, seeking a life of respectability but not apologizing for what she has had to be in order to survive.
  
  McMurtry is famous for including an array of nutty characters that bring an air of comedy as well as insanity to his works. This is especially true of his LONESOME DOVE quartet. In COMANCHE MOON the main players fitting this description are Inish and Inez Scull, portrayed, respectively, by Val Kilmer and Rachel Griffiths. The book is replete with the adventures of these two, describing their doings and what is done to them, especially on the part of Kilmer's character, Inish. And sadly, for me, the miniseries falls unforgivably short, and I am not blaming Kilmer or Griffiths, when it comes to the Sculls. Yes, it may be that the TV medium wouldn't allow an accurate and graphic portrayal of what befalls Inish in the book (even though there is plenty of gore in Ahumado's encampment). Yes, it may be that Inez's antics were equally racy and, therefore, the stuff that ended up on the cutting room floor. But, frankly, I was surprised that McMurtry, being a co-writer on the project, would allow the whitewashed portrayal of these two that ensues in the movie. Accordingly, a star is, of necessity lost for skimping here.
  
  An additional star has to be lost for the weakness of the remaining cast, a bumbling bunch that is so unbelievable that the story is nearly lost. Many are misportrayals of various key characters. McMurtry's Blue Duck, portrayed masterfully in the original LONESOME DOVE by Frederic Forrest, is the personification of evil and carries the half-breed chip on his shoulder with sinister accuracy. In COMANCHE MOON, Adam Beach, though a fine actor in his own right, is far too Indian to be believable as a half-breed and falls considerably short of Forrest's portrayal.
  
  A weak three stars for me. Yes, it completes the set and is a necessary watch for any follower of LONESOME DOVE. But COMANCHE MOON could have been far better. It's as though McMurtry simply succumbed to the temptation to get this one out of the way and pocket his money and, so, skimped on the details that made LONESOME DOVE the classic that it remains in the Western genre.
  
  THE HORSEMAN
  
  
  
• Surprisingly Bad
  By ALYFECZP1RNX8 on 2008-01-21
  Lonesome Dove is probably my favorite western movie of all time. I really enjoy all western movies and can always find a scene, character, or message that makes them enjoyable. Commanche Moon is the exception. It is the first western I have seen that I can't say anything good about. It appeared the story plot around the character Skull was going to be entertaining, but that to was a disappointment, ending abruptly and strangely. I recorded the mini-series on DVD when it aired on tv but am not going to keep it in my collection.
  
  
• Next to Lonesome Dove
  By A2SY5D6VNS8Y76 on 2008-02-19
  We saw the miniseries. I'm going to buy this DVD for my husband & cannot wait to get it. No, it's not Lonesome Dove, but Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall unfortunately cannot age in reverse.
  
  I thought the mini-series was great, & I was glad to learn about Newt's birth & more about that of aspect of the relationship. AND of course, how the little spot of earth became LONESOME DOVE.
  
  
• Excellent
  By A2JAF637N9NLYH on 2008-03-07
  If you love the Lonesome Dove series from Dead Man's Walk, Lonesome Dove, "Return to Lonesome Dove," and Streets of Laredo and then Lonsome Dove the series and The Outlaw years. Then your going to love Comance Moon. Now all we need is a better
  Closure to Newt's life as a final chapter. If you don't understand this, start to watch from the biggining to the missing end.
  
  
  
• A Bad western movie!
  By AYWSFRCIMOAYE on 2008-03-17
  The acting and dialogue are bad. The film is slow and boring. The are no "fighting scenes" in the whole movies. What I mean is that in all those scenes, only one side was shooting at the other for a couple of minutes. Then it ended.
  
  Save your money on this.
  
  
• Awesome book adaption!!!!!
  By A28B7IJR80M8KE on 2008-03-24
  Having read the book to "Comanche Moon", I never thought it would be adapted to screen, simply because it was too violent, but here, the filmakers have been able to tone it down without compromising its integrity, & this film is at best a faithful adaption, I doubt it could have been done better, everything seen here happens in the book, set some 20 years after "Dead Man's Walk" & some 20 years before "Lonsome Dove", we see Gus & Woodrow in their 40's & are now somewhat more experienced in the jobs as Texas Rangers under the command of Captain Inish Scull played with comic genius by Val Kilmer, he embodies this character the same way McMurtry penned him, Steve Zahn takes over the role of Gus, played by David Arquette in "Walk" & by Robert Duvall in "Dove" it is clear Zahn studied Duvall's mannerism & personality from "Dove", Zahn made me believe he could be a younger Duvall, just as Arquette did in "Walk", & Karl Urban totally captures Tommy Lee Jones' mannerism from "Dove" & even his voice as a younger Woodrow Call, just as Johnny Lee Miller did in "Walk" In this we meet Pea Eye, Deets, & Jake Spoon, & we get to meet Blue Duck as Buffalo Hump's undisiplined teenage son, Blue Duck is just as nasty here as well, casting Linda Cardelini as Clara was also a smart move, Jennifer Garner played her in "Walk", but Cardelini looks more favorable to Anjelica Houston in "Dove", Simon Wincer who directed "Dove" does so here & it is clear he hasn't lost his flare for directing beautiful landscapes, it is just as long as "Dove" at about 5 hrs., but never boring, if you are a "Lonesome Dove" fan, then you won't be disappointed, I was really impressed with the attention to detail, not to mention consistensy, some locations look like the same ones used in both "Walk" & "Dove", & we see Newt born & the beginning of what later becomes "Dove", the filmakers & McMurtry have delivered with consistensy which always wins me over, & Zahn & Urban do Call & Gus justice, it is not easy to fill Jones' & Duvall's shoes, but they pull it off, Wes Studi is perfect as Buffalo Hump, Eric Swieg's portrayal in "Walk" was menacing, & Studi takes it a step further, all in all, a great adaption & prequel to "Lonsome Dove", this one will make you want to watch that one again.
  
  
• Aoid, Avoid, Avoid!!!
  By A2K4CYCBF4LIJ8 on 2008-03-24
  If you, like myself, missed seeing this movie when initially shown on TV and then read the raving revues, you may, like me, want to see this offering. Warning: do not waste your time or money. TV movies like the original LONESOME DOVE (1989) and the HBO miniseries DEADWOOD have raised the bar for what to expect in a really fine western drama. If producers are inclined to sink large amounts of cash into any made for TV movie, my advice is to do homework first and determine if the investment is wise. The investment in COMANCHE MOON was most unwise. Weak acting, weak dialogue, weak story are the result of a weak screenplay. I was sooo bored with this production, dialogue, and romance scenes that I kept fast forwarding the play to find some action and "true grit." Sadly, very little existed, spread over three parts on two discs. To top this disappointment off, the ending of part three left one to wonder if a sequel to COMANCHE MOON is forthcoming? Heaven forbide a second loser. Pay attention to the negative reviews for this offering ... they are right on!
  
  
• exciting entertainment
  By A3QNNYT14K6HDL on 2008-03-25
  This movie is a must see for anyone who is a Lonesome Dove type person, I thought that the movie, was truely entertaining. I would recomend this movie to all who enjoy movies of the western- Native American - outlaws- bad guys and good guy! I sat their watching this and could only picture Robert Duvall and Tom Lee Jones from Lonesome Dove.
  
  
• this is as good as it gets for a Western mini-series
  By A2FI3QNFCGFKLY on 2008-04-02
  After the earlier "orginal" Lonesome Dove series I thought I was bound to be let down with Comanche Moon ,and put the DVD into the player with some trepidation - but, I was pleased beyond belief.
  Larry Mc Murtry's screenplay of his own excellent book is a faithful recreation of mood and spirit of the disappearing plains Indian at the hands of the white settlers ,as well as their own travails.
  Karl Urban and Steve Zahn as the lead characters equal the stellar performances of the same characters that Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones played so well in the past. Superb casting throughout, wonderful sets and cinematography, Niehaus score helps the moods so well - I found this series hard to fault in any way.
  If you love Westerns, you will love Comanche Moon
  
  
• Second only to Lonesome Dove
  By AANQD49BTUAT9 on 2008-04-06
  McMurtry at his finest! I had read the book several years ago and anticipated the release of the mini series. I was not disappointed. Although Val Kilmer received top billing, Steve Zahn stole the show with his portrayal of Gus McCrea. I hope Robert Duvall was proud. I will definitely watch it again!
  
  
• Wow, this one was a flop...
  By ADKOY6I46EWLK on 2008-07-06
  I've followed both the book and made-for-TV series for quite a while. While I believe the novel Comanche Moon was a pretty decent read, this movie adaptation is the worst of the Lonesome Dove series.
  
  Zahn did a decent job as Gus McRae (you can tell he had studied Duvall's portrayal of the character and tried to get down the technique, and while not perfect, it wasn't bad) - but most of the other actors literally sounded like they were reading right from the script. Urban was really a terrible W.F.Call, and while I thought West Studi was good as Famous Shoes in Streets of Laredo, he didn't seem to fit the role of Buffalo Hump in this one, not at all. Val Kilmer was absolutely awful as Inish Scull. Instead of giving the impression he was a tough, if slightly eccentric Yankee-in-Texas, he came across as a clown.
  
  I noticed Halmark/Artisan didn't produce this one as they did the others in the series (which were all better - I'd rank them in this order as the best to least: Lonesome Dove, Streets of Laredo, Dead Man's Walk) and I don't know if that had something to do with it, but this was pretty bad. I'm not even comparing it to Lonesome Dove other than to say Zahn did a decent job of learning Duvall's mannerisms for McRae, but even as a stand alone Western this one just felt cheap and looked cheap. Almost no one seemed to have really gotten into acting their characters and it shows.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• great enought!
  By A11L5PA2O1UAF9 on 2008-01-22
  alright look... i love the original lonesome dove whith all my heat. i watched it in 89 when it premiered and i watch it once a year and i still come to tears each and every time. i own every instalment of the seires other than the tv show which is crap... is sugggest no one even consider that trash. i continue to watch the others becuase no matter if they dont compare to the original they still tell the story. comanche moon does a spectaculuar job. i loved it. Zahn did perfect! urban descant not so great but the movie i love and will watch countless times. i admit they didnt devolop deets, jake, and peaye enough but we still got a taste. i will cherish this movie.. im a true fan i can quote almost every line from begining to end in the orignal i wont listne to trash talk from people who dont know anything....great movie, true fans buy and enjoy!
  
  
• sadly, not worth the wait.....
  By A3861IBNFDR8RU on 2008-03-20
  we rented this along with Lonesome Dove to revisit the characters before viewing Comanche Moon. It was like going from Filet Mignon to a greasy burger. I have to agree with most of the other reviews-the ensemble cast-while hosting several A-Listers-was too heavy on the bad acting side to make the multiple hour investment worthwhile. While Val Kilmer and Steve Zahn do make valiant efforts to "get it right", the biggest disappointment was Carl Urban's.
  
  Urban-who has the looks of a young Tommy Lee Jones-was too wooden and his southern accent was bad and even nonexistant in some parts. This was a disappointment as I have liked Urban in other films, but it's looking like he may be a "one trick pony", ala Schwarzenegger and Vin Diesel.
  
  The feminine side of the ensemble were the films downfall. Griffiths was too caricature, Cardellini too comedic and high pitched and Banks-the most appropriate as Newts mom Maggie-was given literally nothing to work with-unfortunate since Maggie plays such a vital role post mortem in LD.
  
  Commanche Moon could have been so much more, instead it's like visiting an old friend and wondering what drew you to them in the first place. My advice-keep the beauty of Lonesome Dove without letting Commanche Moon spoil it.
  
  2 stars.
  
  

• Return to Lonesome Dove
• Dead Man's Walk
• Lonesome Dove
• Larry McMurtry's Streets of Laredo
• Lonesome Dove Collection (Lonesome Dove/Streets of Laredo/Dead Man's Walk)