This one caught my attention because horror and western are my two favorite film genres, and it's not every day you encounter a movie that falls into both categories. Granted, "Purgatory" is primarily a western that merely just hints at supernatural horror themes, but still it's an admirably effort to blend two very versatile genres. It's also a pretty decent film, especially considering it's made for cable and starring a long list of nearly washed up B-move actors. Imagine what a wedding between "Bonanza" and "The Twilight Zone" would look like and you suddenly got a good idea what to expect of "Purgatory". Following a bank robbery gone wrong and a severe sandstorm, the notorious outlaw Blackjack Britton and his large group of rovers arrive in a remote little town called Refuge. The inhabitants of this unworldly village are all exaggeratedly friendly and obliging, yet they strangely look like legendary gunslingers that are all supposed to be rotting in hell already. Could this secluded place be their last chance for redemption? And will they be able to resist picking up their guns again when their peaceful community is threatened by these fugitive criminals? It's really a worthwhile effort, with a reasonable portion of action sequences and a fairly intelligent script. The B-cast does a splendid job and it's pretty damn difficult to select a favorite performer. Eric Roberts hasn't played such a good role since the early 1990's and it's always a joy to look at Peter Stormare, Randy Quaid and John Dennis Johnston. The most surprisingly pleasing performances come from Sam Shepard and Donnie Wahlberg (as Billy the Kid). I was hoping for director Uli Edel to emphasize a little more on the potentially great horror aspects in the story, but we still ended up seeing a competent western, so no complaints here.
