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The Jack Bull | 
| Director: John Badham
Actors: John Cusack, John Goodman, L.q. Jones, Miranda Otto, John C. Mcginley
Studio: HBO
Category: DVD
List Price: CDN$ 9.93
Buy New: CDN$ 6.66
You Save: CDN$ 3.27 (33%)
New (13) Used (2) from CDN$ 6.66
Rating:  34 reviews
Sales Rank: 15816
Format: Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Academy Ratio
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.6 x 0.6
MPN: HBOD91574D
ISBN: 0783114990
UPC: 026359157424
EAN: 9780783114996
ASIN: 6305504024
Theatrical Release Date: April 17, 1999
Release Date: August 31, 1999
Availability: Usually ships within 1 - 2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW - Shipped within 24 hrs via Airmail from the USA - Average 5 to 10 workdays delivery time. Excellent customer service. NEUF - Envoy? par avion des USA sous 24 hrs - Livraison en moyenne de 5 a 10 jours ouvres. Service clientele en francais.
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| Editorial Reviews:
From Amazon.com
IThe Jack Bull/I was produced for and premiered on HBO, but it's easily the most respectable job that feature director John Badham (ISaturday Night Fever/I, IWarGames/I) has done in the past two decades. The title refers not to a piece of livestock but a metaphorical Jack Russell terrier that, once it's annoyed enough to close its jaws on something, will hang on to the point of death.p That would be Myrl Redding (John Cusack), a horse-breeder of limited means but a deeply entrenched sense of justice. His independence galls Henry Ballard (L.Q. Jones), the crusty land baron out to set his brand on most of the countryside. Ballard insults and cheats Redding several times over, and his men beat Redding's horse trainer and friend, an Indian (Rodney A. Grant). When Redding seeks redress from the law, its agents can't be bothered (the local magistrate is in Ballard's pocket). So Redding musters a vigilante army to enforce his own law.p Scratch this handsome but rigorously unromanticized Western--fully an hour passes without a shot being fired--and you find the classic Heinrich von Kleist book Michael Kohlhaas transposed to Wyoming Territory on the eve of statehood. The script--by the star-producer's dad, Dick Cusack--is sturdy and uncompromising, willing to engage the knotty ambiguities of embracing vigilantism even in a just cause. Badham's decision to treat the authorities (Scott Wilson, Jay O. Sanders, John Goodman) as period caricatures is regrettable. But John Cusack is solid as a figure of utterly matter-of-fact integrity. I--Richard T. Jameson/I
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| Customer Reviews: Read 29 more reviews...
 Good but Lacking July 18, 2004
Jack Barrett (ash of the wishbone)
If your looking for a realistic western than this is the best you can do. No epic bloodshed(as with spaghetti westerns)and no overly macho heroes(typical american westerns). This film is about and is based on a true story and its one of the only movies I know of that doesnt take its artistic license too far. This movie keeps its realistic edge while still managing to entertain. That being said, its also a sad movie that leaves you with an empty used feeling at the end. Watching a movie and feeling worse than you did when starting it is in my opinion the mark of a film that has too much of a downward slope. Anyways do not highly reccomend to anybody unless they want a realistic movie that will make you feel sad and used.
 Honor, Pride, Power the Law March 7, 2004
John Lease (USA)
In pre-Statehood Wyoming one local cattle and land baron is pretty free to do as he pleases, the closest local authority is a judge who is in his pocket. John Cusack plays a fairly successful horse raiser/trader who stumbles into the Statehood debate on the pro side, fairly irking LQ Jones, the landowning bigwig who knows Statehood will bring authorities who will reign in his ambitions. Jones gets his revenge by installing a toll gate charging exorbinent tolls to those he dislikes. Cusack finds himself on the list. Without the cash he leaves two prize horses while en route to a critical horse auction. On the return he finds his collateral purposely mistreated by Jones' thugs and his Native American hired man beat half to death. Without legal recourse thanks to local judicial corruption Cusack raises an army of revenge, paid for by the sale of his horse farm. They ride with the fury of a Mongol army and the ferocity of Sherman's March to the Sea to get payment back from Jones. As Statehood consideration nears, the Territorial Gov't wants this real life wild west show shut down. Through compromise and threat the case is finally hearded into a higher court where John Goodman, born for the role, sits as the Judge. The film could fall into numerous traps - good guy, bad guy, court and government vs. little guy, but it never stoops to cookie cutter devices and everything is a little more complicated then it first appears with personal morality and motivation falling into grey area. Entertaining and interesting throughout, the final scene, with appropriate soundtrack, is simply great American film-making. You hardly need to be a Westerns fan to enjoy this movie. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the history (it based on a true story we're told) but I can vouch for the greatness of the film.
Excellent film, but Cusack's character is no hero. January 29, 2004
Prometheus
I take issue with many of the reviewers of this movie who claim that John Cusack's character was heroic in this movie. What he did was foolish, not heroic (and Cusack's character even admits this). Instead of pursuing legal recourse to its full extent, he gets tired of pursuing it, gives it up, and instead seeks his own recourse, which amounts to revenge for his wife's death. As a result many people are killed (I counted at least 10), and it seems all this happens simply to feed his ego. Sure, he stuck to his principles stubbornly, but a better result would have come from a stubborn reliance on the law.pHowever, that's not to say that I disliked this movie. People do indeed do stupid things, and that's where most movie plots arise from. It is a great movie, well acted, and with a good quality script that's lacking in most movies these days. But the moral of the tale is surely not that principles matter more than anything (as some here seem to believe). The moral is that pride goeth before a fall, and that corrupt justice (and vigilante justice) is far worse than no justice.pWhat the main character should have done was take back the horses, recondition them, and take the lawsuit as far as it would go, and keep lobbying for justice until justice was done. To give up on the law so quickly was idiocy. To then take the law into his own hands was the actions of a nutcase.
The Jack Bull January 26, 2004
H. Row (Arvada, CO United States)
I've become rather disappointed in many of the recently released movies. Not because they aren't spectacular with lot's of special effects, etc, but because of a lack of substance regarding right and wrong. The Jack Bull was released in 1999 as an HBO film. The plot revolves around a man who treats people honestly and respectfully and believes in the law to uphold these virtues despite wealth, power and influence. He expects the same to apply to everyone. He encounters other men who are greedy, and dishonest. brJack Bull follows John Cusack's character in an attempt to get justice when he is wronged.brThe movie follows Cusack's pursuit of justice through honest means. When that fails, he takes the law into his own hands, eventually gaining retribution from the man responsible. brWithout giving the plot away, Cusack also must face the consequences for his vigilantism and it's results. This is a movie where the hero is held accountable just as the villian is for the wrongs they have done.brThe movie may be 4 or 5 years old, it may not have gotten it's well deserved attention when released. But, it is one of those thought provoking movies that stay with you. Well acted, thought provoking.brI'm happy with this purchase and believe many of those who may have missed The Jack Bull will also enjoy this superb movie.brJohn Row
holds on and never lets go October 27, 2003
Kristy (La Porte City, IA)
Originally produced and released by HBO for TV release, this movie could have easily been theatrically released from the quality filmaking found in this movie. But if it was released in theatres, it would have had to compromise its integrity to please a larger fan base. Dick Cusack wrote and produced this movie (Dick is John's father) so we can see where his son gets his incrediable taste and acting talent from. Directed by John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, War Games), this is easily his best directing job in decades.pWhat does the title "Jack Bull" mean and what kind of movie would have such a strange handle? "Jack Bull" is the title of a Jack Bull terrier, famous for never letting go once it decides to fight. That describes Myrl Redding (John Cusack) perfectly. A hard headed horse breeder that just wants a quiet life amongst the range, or what's left off it with his son and wife. The tyranny of Henry Ballad (L.Q. Jones) stands in his way however. Henry likes to reign his power and influence over people, but he can't control Meryl Redding. Meryl makes it known that he can't be influenced by any man under God. Henry cheats and double crosses Meryl at ever turn, but goes to far when he unfairly claims Meryl's prize stallion as a road tax and shows them cruel and unsual treatment and harms Meryl's Indian friend (Rodney A. Grant) for trying to protect the animals. This starts a crusade for uncompromising justice that Meryl will sacrifice anything for, even his own life if necessary. He sells his stead to raise a vigilante that will stop at nothing until Henry Ballad grooms and repairs Redding's horses to their original condition. As expected this creates a showdown, two strong willed men, one with the law in his pocket, the other with a will of steel. Will Meryl's crusade for justice cost him all he cherishes, or does sticking up for what you believe in worth giving up your life for?pThis movie covers many issues seldom covered in most Western movies. It delves into the physche of strong men...men who don't bend for the laws of men but respond to the call of a higher order. The acting in this movie is superb (except for the charicture performance of a judge given by John Goodman) and never have I seen John's acting in finer form. What I love most about this movie as a viewer is that the writers don't make Meryl out to be some shining, stirring hero. He's just a regular guy who's been pushed to far and will not compromise his honor. I admire this character, especially since it's based on a real life occurance. I can't say this movie has a happy ending because then my opinion on this movie would be that it was decent, but not amazing. Life doesn't always have happy endings, but those who live their life to the highest ideals and aren't afraid of what it costs them are the stuff true heros are made of. Bravo to "Jack Bull" which I gladly give a 5 out of 5 as a lover of true movie craftsmenship.
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