‘One Ranger’ Review
Stars: Thomas Jane, John Malkovich, Nick Moran, Dominique Tipper, Dean Jagger, Patrick Bergin | Written and Directed by Jesse V. Johnson
Here’s a quick one for you… is there anything better than a Jesse V. Johnson movie?
Rhetorical question really because the answer is fairly obvious… No, no there is not because we bloody love this director here at Nerdly. This time out we don’t have frequent collaborator Scott Adkins but we do have the one true Punisher Thomas Jane, along with John Malkovich, that man Nick Moran and The Expanse’s Dominique Tipper.
Texas Ranger Alex Tyree (Jane) is out and about on the hunt for a small-time criminal when he stumbles upon a much bigger crime being committed. After taking out three of the baddies, he is tasked with escorting the fourth who manages to escape the lawman. Tyree is drafted in by British Intelligence to come to London and help track down the fugitive who as it turns out is an Irish Terrorist hellbent on chaos.
The first thing that truly stands out about One Ranger is the Western aesthetic we start the movie with, which stays with us for the entirety even when the movie pivots and we head to England. This isn’t exactly surprising as Johnson has always had a keen sense of style and flair but it does add a few layers to the grimey London setting when you throw some sort of Wild West score over the top of proceedings. It also gives a feel like Johnson is levelling up a bit in terms of telling bigger stories on a grander scale while holding on to the attributes that have made him the director he is.
Thomas Jane is in his wheelhouse here as the strong well travelled silent Texas Ranger. He never fails to bring his A-game but once again Johnson has written him a role that plays to every strength as he just drips charisma all over his co-stars and looks like the coolest motherf*cker in the process. The chemistry between Jane and Dominique Tipper is strong too as she plays the rookie agent eager to learn and impress while taking no shit.
Film fans, we need to talk about Dean Jagger. As our lead “Paddy Baddie” Declan, Jagger is as convincing as it gets and brings a real low-key sense of fire and brimstone levels of revenge. Then of course we have Malkovich on form as usual however, if you are able to pinpoint what his accent is supposed to be then please do let me know.
One Ranger is just what the doctor ordered when I asked him to prescribe me a quality Jesse V. Johnson flick. The story is fairly minimal and we maybe don’t get to know our characters as well as we may have liked but this is peak Thomas Jane, given time to chew on that beautifully shot scenery. The action as always with Johnson is flawless this time being shot by Simon Rowling who previously shot Ross Boyask’s Vengeance movies and Adkins-driven Legacy of Lies so he knows his way around the punches and kicks.
I had a great time with One Ranger and loved the performances for the most part. A great entry into a filmography that keeps getting stronger.
