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During the [[American Civil War]], [[Jonah Hex]] ([[Josh Brolin]]) fought on the side of the Confederacy until betraying his commanding officer, [[Quentin Turnbull]] ([[John Malkovich]]) to save a hospital and killing Turnbull’s son in the process. A vengeful Turnbull and his right-hand man, Burke ([[Michael Fassbender]]), burn down Jonah’s house with his wife Cassie and son Travis still inside and brand his face with a hot iron, leaving the initials QT; which he later removes with a red-hot tomahawk resulting in his disfigured visage. Days later, [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] find Jonah and revive him with their mystical powers. As a result, Jonah is present among the living while also having a presence on the other side, granting him the ability to temporarily resurrect and communicate with the dead. Eventually hearing of Turnbull’s apparent death in a hotel fire, Jonah establishes himself as a legendary [[bounty hunter]].
During the [[American Civil War]], [[Jonah Hex]] ([[Josh Brolin]]) fought on the side of the Confederacy until betraying his commanding officer, [[Quentin Turnbull]] ([[John Malkovich]]) to save a hospital and killing Turnbull’s son in the process. A vengeful Turnbull and his right-hand man, Burke ([[Michael Fassbender]]), burn down Jonah’s house with his wife Cassie and son Travis still inside and brand his face with a hot iron, leaving the initials QT; which he later removes with a red-hot tomahawk resulting in his disfigured visage. Days later, [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] find Jonah and revive him with their mystical powers. As a result, Jonah is present among the living while also having a presence on the other side, granting him the ability to temporarily resurrect and communicate with the dead. Eventually hearing of Turnbull’s apparent death in a hotel fire, Jonah establishes himself as a legendary [[bounty hunter]].


Jonah rides into the town of Stunk Crick and presents his latest bounty to the town marshals only to realize they had no intention of paying, but instead to kill Jonah for his own bounty. Jonah kills the marshals and several gunmen and leaves. Meanwhile, a Union train is robbed of a weapon component being transported for safekeeping. Burke blows up the train and Turnbull, alive and well, orders the component be taken to Fort Resurrection. [[Ulysses S. Grant|President Grant]] ([[Aidan Quinn]]) is informed of the train massacre by Lieutenant Grass ([[Will Arnett]]) and surmises that Turnbull plans to attack the Union on the [[Fourth of July]] (the country’s centennial). Grass is told to find Jonah and hire him to stop Turnbull.
Jonah rides into the town of Stunk Crick and presents his latest bounty to the town marshals only to realize they had no intention of paying, but instead to kill Jonah for his own bounty. Jonah kills the marshals and several gunmen and leaves. Meanwhile, a Union train is robbed of a weapon component being transported for safekeeping. Burke blows up the train and Turnbull, alive and well, orders the component be taken to Fort Resurrection. [[Ulysses S. Grant|President Grant]] ([[Aidan Quinn]]) is informed of the train massacre by Lieutenant Grass ([[Will Arnett]]) and surmises that Turnbull plans to attack the Union on July 4 during the celebration of the American centennial. Grass is told to find Jonah and hire him to stop Turnbull.


Jonah goes to a [[brothel]] and spends the night with Lilah ([[Megan Fox]]), a [[prostitution|prostitute]] attracted to the disfigured man for more than just professional interest. As Jonah prepares to leave the next morning, Grass’s men burst in and tell Jonah that he is being conscripted into the nation’s service to track down Turnbull. Realizing his family is still unavenged, Jonah accepts. Elsewhere, Turnbull and Burke retrieve the main component of the “nation killing” weapon, an orange chemical orb developed by [[Eli Whitney]] in service of the Union.
Jonah goes to a [[brothel]] and spends the night with Lilah ([[Megan Fox]]), a [[prostitution|prostitute]] attracted to the disfigured man for more than just professional interest. As Jonah prepares to leave the next morning, Grass’s men burst in and tell Jonah that he is being conscripted into the nation’s service to track down Turnbull. Realizing his family is still unavenged, Jonah accepts. Elsewhere, Turnbull and Burke retrieve the main component of the “nation killing” weapon, an orange chemical orb developed by [[Eli Whitney]] in service of the Union.

Revision as of 04:06, 29 October 2010

Jonah Hex
Jonah Hex with Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, and John Malkovich
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Screenplay by
Story by
  • Neveldine/Taylor
  • William Farmer
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography
  • Mitchell Amundsen
Edited by
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
    • June 18, 2010 (2010-06-18)
Running time
Country
Language
  • English
Budget
Box office

Jonah Hex is a 2010 American post-Civil War antihero Western film based on the DC Comics character of the same name.[4] Under Warner Bros., the film is directed by Jimmy Hayward and stars Josh Brolin as the title character, Jonah Hex, and also stars John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender, and Megan Fox. The film was released on June 18, 2010. It was a critical and commercial failure.

Plot

During the American Civil War, Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin) fought on the side of the Confederacy until betraying his commanding officer, Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich) to save a hospital and killing Turnbull’s son in the process. A vengeful Turnbull and his right-hand man, Burke (Michael Fassbender), burn down Jonah’s house with his wife Cassie and son Travis still inside and brand his face with a hot iron, leaving the initials QT; which he later removes with a red-hot tomahawk resulting in his disfigured visage. Days later, Native Americans find Jonah and revive him with their mystical powers. As a result, Jonah is present among the living while also having a presence on the other side, granting him the ability to temporarily resurrect and communicate with the dead. Eventually hearing of Turnbull’s apparent death in a hotel fire, Jonah establishes himself as a legendary bounty hunter.

Jonah rides into the town of Stunk Crick and presents his latest bounty to the town marshals only to realize they had no intention of paying, but instead to kill Jonah for his own bounty. Jonah kills the marshals and several gunmen and leaves. Meanwhile, a Union train is robbed of a weapon component being transported for safekeeping. Burke blows up the train and Turnbull, alive and well, orders the component be taken to Fort Resurrection. President Grant (Aidan Quinn) is informed of the train massacre by Lieutenant Grass (Will Arnett) and surmises that Turnbull plans to attack the Union on July 4 during the celebration of the American centennial. Grass is told to find Jonah and hire him to stop Turnbull.

Jonah goes to a brothel and spends the night with Lilah (Megan Fox), a prostitute attracted to the disfigured man for more than just professional interest. As Jonah prepares to leave the next morning, Grass’s men burst in and tell Jonah that he is being conscripted into the nation’s service to track down Turnbull. Realizing his family is still unavenged, Jonah accepts. Elsewhere, Turnbull and Burke retrieve the main component of the “nation killing” weapon, an orange chemical orb developed by Eli Whitney in service of the Union.

Grass tells Jonah all that is known of Turnbull’s plans but explains that the trail went dead because their informant died. Resurrecting the informant with his powers, Jonah learns that the man hadn’t been recruited by Turnbull, but by Colonel Slocum (Tom Wopat), another associate of Jonah’s who betrayed his family. Jonah pays Slocum a visit at an illegal death match pavilion run by Doc Cross Williams (Michael Shannon). Slocum is corrupt and sarcastically tells Jonah to ask Turnbull’s dead son, Jeb, where his father is. Jonah throws Slocum into the fighting ring where the gladiator, a bestial, snakelike creature, attacks and kills him.

Jonah rides to Gettysburg where he spends the night digging up Jeb Turnbull (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and revives his corpse. After a brief confrontation, Jonah apologizes for killing Jeb during the Civil War. In return, Jeb tells Jonah about Fort Resurrection and then returns to the afterlife. Jonah then buys some new weaponry from Smith (Lance Reddick), a gunsmith, in preparation for battle. Smith points out that Jonah’s hatred of the Union isn’t born out of Southern loyalty but out of a stubbornness to adhere to the rules of government.

Jonah goes to the fort and encounters Turnbull but doesn’t get a chance to kill him. Jonah gets shot several times after a fight with Burke but is able to escape. As Jonah nears death and imagines what it would be like to fight Turnbull, his dog drags him to his Native American allies who perform a ceremony that heals Jonah. Back on his feet, he relays a message to Washington about Turnbull’s plan to destroy the capital. Afterwards, Turnbull tells Burke to find what Jonah loves and bring it to him as bait for Jonah; Burke kidnaps Lilah from the brothel.

Jonah sneaks through the dock where Turnbull’s Confederate ironclad is being readied for the attack. Burke attacks him and the two discreetly fight until Jonah shoves Burke headfirst into the boat motor, then utterly destroys him by burning him up. Jonah prepares to shoot Turnbull but Turnbull holds Lilah at gunpoint and forces Jonah to surrender. Turnbull chains Jonah and Lilah in the ship's hold and tells Jonah that he wants him to watch as the Union is destroyed. Lilah picks her handcuffs and frees Jonah, who goes after Turnbull. Lt. Grass’s monitor warship engages Turnbull’s but is destroyed with the Nation Killer. Jonah and Turnbull fight and fall into the engine room. Turnbull gains the upper hand and gives the order to destroy the city. As the preliminary weapons are fired, laying the preparation for the explosive trigger, Jonah uses his tomahawk to jam the cannon. He then brutally beats Turnbull and traps his neck in a gear before saving Lilah. The pair jump into the water just as the chemical orb ignites in the engine room, killing Turnbull and all his men.

The next day, Grant rewards Jonah with a job offer as sheriff of the United States. Jonah refuses, but assures the President that if they need him, they’ll be able to find him. Jonah then visits Jeb's grave to apologize to him and rides off from the cemetery with his dog.

Cast

The film also includes John Gallagher, Jr. as Lieutenant Evan, Tom Wopat as Colonel Slocum, Wes Bentley as Adleman Lusk and Julia Jones as Cassie; as well as an uncredited Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Jeb Turnbull. Mastodon guitarist/vocalist Brent Hinds also made a small cameo appearance.[12]

Production

Brolin, Fox, and Fassbender promoting the film at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con International

In 2000, 20th Century Fox developed a one-hour adaptation based on the character to television with producers Akiva Goldsman and Robert Zappia involved, but the project did not make it to production.[13] By July 2007, Warner Bros. Pictures held feature film rights to the character and sought to produce a film. Goldsman paired with Andrew Lazar as producers, and Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor adapted the screenplay,[14] which adopted an incarnation of the comic books that combined the Western genre with supernatural elements.[15] In October 2008, Josh Brolin entered talks to be cast as Jonah Hex under the direction of Neveldine and Taylor.[16] In November 2008, Neveldine and Taylors stepped down from being directors due to creative differences with the studio.[17] The studio explored the possibility of hiring Andy Fickman or McG and by January 2009, it chose Jimmy Hayward to direct Jonah Hex.[15] By the following February, Brolin was set to star alongside John Malkovich, who was cast as the antagonist Quentin Turnbull. Legendary Pictures paired with Warner Bros. Pictures to co-finance the film.[5] Filming began in Louisiana in April 2009.[10]

Soundtrack

Main article: Jonah Hex: Revenge Gets Ugly EP

On September 2, 2009, Ain't It Cool News reported that heavy metal band Mastodon were scoring the film.[18] Troy Sanders, bassist/vocalist of Mastodon, on their contribution to the film:

"Some of it was heavy, some of it was very moody," Sanders said. "A lot of it was spacey, Melvins B-sides, Pink Floyd-like, surreal outer space, like Neil Young's Dead Man. Swirling, nausea music." Sanders added that the collaboration felt natural: "Since day one, we've always written albums thinking the music was the score of a movie. Then we'll create the lyrics or story line on top of that, as if we're writing the dialogue to match the movie's cinematography." The soundtrack is an hour-long instrumental, including five full songs and numerous smaller musical themes. Selections were added to scenes in the film by composer John Powell (Shrek, The Bourne Identity), and others will be adapted for the London Orchestra for exceptionally epic moments. "We wrote variations on themes for each character, different variables for a bunch of riffs: faster, slower, heavier, lighter," Sanders explained. "It's the Darth Vader approach."

Release and reception

Jonah Hex was released in the United States on June 18, 2010. A trailer was attached with A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Critical response

The film has been panned by critics. Review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes reports that 13% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 136 reviews, with an average score of 3.4/10. The critical consensus is: "Josh Brolin gives it his best shot, but he can't keep the short, unfocused Jonah Hex from collapsing on the screen."[19]

Keith Phipps of The A.V. Club gave the movie a rare "F" rating, stating "the 81 minutes (including credits) of Jonah Hex footage that made it to the screen look like something assembled under a tight deadline, and possibly under the influence."[20] Roger Ebert wrote: "It's based on some DC Comics characters, which may explain the way the plot jumps around. We hear a lot about graphic novels, but this is more of a graphic anthology of strange occult ideas."[21]

Box office

Jonah Hex underperformed, opening at #7 during its debut weekend with only $5,379,365 in 2,825 theaters, averaging $1,904 per theater. In its second weekend the film only managed to gross $1,627,442, falling to #10. The film ended its theatrical run on August 12, 2010, grossing only $10,547,117 in total on a $47 million budget, making it a box office bomb. Due to the film's poor domestic take, it was not widely released internationally, grossing less than $500,000 outside the United States.[3]

Home media

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray October 12, 2010.

Merchandise

  • Tonner Doll Company, Inc. released in May 2010 Saloon Lilah as a doll.[22]
  • NECA has released an assortment of 3 action figures (Hex, Lilah, and Turnbull), and has plans to release prop replicas from the film.[23]
  • WizKids has plans to release a Heroclix Battle Pack consisting of Hex, Lilah, and Turnbull.[24]
  • DC Direct has plans to release a Jonah Hex bust,[25] a Lilah bust,[26] and a 1:6 scale Jonah Hex Collector Figure.[27]

References

  1. ^ Jonah Hex at the British Board of Film Classification
  2. ^ Fritz, Ben (June 17, 2010). "Movie projector: 'Toy Story 3' appears blessed, 'Jonah Hex' cursed". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=jonahhex.htm
  4. ^ Gob Bluth Says Jonah Hex Will Be Dark and Serious
  5. ^ a b Fleming, Michael (February 11, 2009). "Malkovich, Brolin set for 'Hex'". Variety. Retrieved April 8, 2009. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Billington, Alex (June 20, 2008). "So That Truly Was Thomas Jane as Jonah Hex!". FirstShowing.net. First Showing, LLC. Retrieved April 8, 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  7. ^ Seijas, Casey (November 20, 2008). "Josh Brolin Declares 'Jonah Hex' Script 'Awful…I Love It,' As Directors Leave Project". MTV Splash Page. Retrieved April 9, 2009. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  8. ^ Jonah Hex Hexed with Reshoots
  9. ^ Kit, Borys (March 3, 2009). "Megan Fox lines up two film projects". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 8, 2009. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  10. ^ a b c Kit, Borys (March 31, 2009). "Will Arnett joins 'Jonah Hex'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 8, 2009. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help) (Subscription only)
  11. ^ http://screencrave.com/2009-08-10/michael-fassbender-talks-jonah-hex/
  12. ^ George 'El Guapo' Roush (2010-06-15). "Interview: Josh Brolin, Megan Fox and Jimmy Hayward Talk About Jonah Hex". Latino Review. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
  13. ^ Laski, Beth (January 20, 2000). "DeVito has a 'Revelation' on crowded Canton slate". The Hollywood Reporter. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ Kit, Borys (July 24, 2007). "Warners puts 'Hex' on comic". The Hollywood Reporter. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ a b Kit, Borys (January 6, 2009). "'Horton' helmer has 'Hex' next". The Hollywood Reporter. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ Fleming, Michael (October 9, 2008). "Josh Brolin eyes WB's 'Jonah Hex'". Variety. Retrieved April 8, 2009. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  17. ^ Fleming, Michael (November 19, 2008). "Neveldine, Taylor leave 'Jonah Hex'". Variety. Retrieved April 8, 2009. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  18. ^ Knowles, Harry (2009-09-02). "JONAH HEX news so mind-meltingly awesome that only Satan's Mighty Balls are cooler!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  19. ^ "Jonah Hex Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 2010-10-05.
  20. ^ Keith Phipps (June 17, 2010). "Jonah Hex Film Review". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved 2010-06-26. Rating F.
  21. ^ Jonah Hex. Rogerebert.com
  22. ^ Meet Saloon Lilah, a Jonah Hex Comic-Con Exclusive from Tonner
  23. ^ [1]
  24. ^ [2]
  25. ^ [3]
  26. ^ [4]
  27. ^ [5]
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