Butch and Sundance: The Early Days

As others have noted, it certainly pales in comparison to the original. How could it not? Two relatively young actors filling the shoes of two legendary charismatic actors who have great chemistry together. If you start with lowered expectations, it's an entertaining ride. It won't make anyone's top 50 or anything, but it's in no way a bad film. Calling it a prequel is almost a misnomer. They're clearly trying to replicate the feel of the Newman/Redford films, but there's a lot here that can't be reconciled. Most notably, there's a scene where Newman and Redford exchange real names, but here they learn each other names as young men. Not quite sure why they gave Butch a wife and kids he didn't have in real life or the previous film.

Not great. Too many disconnected vignettes in the first half especially, but almost the inverse of most movies it settles down and concludes with a series of events that build on each other; being unsettled with the normal life; a revenge-driven callout that doesn't go quite to plan; a great heist that goes as well as you might expect also. Very affable cast, very believable in their roles after a while. I was especially pleased with how human all the guards, jailers, deputies, and posse members were; no one wants to die, and it shows. Also full points for terrific and varied scenery, an impassable snow sequence that has enough snow to be believable, town sets I haven't seen before and are freshly painted (why would a new town be all weather worn as they so often are?!) and other great art direction, costuming, etc.

I have never been a fan of the original Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. Though enjoyable, the film has been wildly overpraised for its overly cute script. Are these supposed to feared outlaws or a western Laurel and Hardy. Butch and Sundance the Early Days is pretty much of the same thing. It is fairly entertaining but it is also held captive by an overly cute storyline. This movie pretty much goes through the same territory as the same movie. The actors playing Butch and Sundance, Tom Berenger and William Katt, are very good. There are some enjoyable scenes but they go on forever, like the scenes in the snow that vary from slapstick comedy to an attempt at drama. Basically, if you are not a discriminating viewer and you don't have anything better to do, this is OK.

A pretty peculiar "prequel" to "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" has a virtually no-name cast (at the time) pretending to be the famous lead actors from the original "sequel," Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Tom Berenger would later improve by the time "Platoon" came around, proving himself as a worthy villain, but here he's just not amiable and charismatic enough to carry the film. Note the small role by Christopher Lloyd as he lives in the wild west. Eleven years later he would reappear on screen in the wild west with a time machine. Can you guess which movie I'm speaking of? If not, you don't belong on this site.

BUTCH AND SUNDANCE: THE EARLY YEARS is a western prequel to BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID; they couldn't make a straight sequel to that movie for obvious reasons. This one sees the notorious duo just starting out, with William Katt (of CARRIE fame) a lot of fun as Sundance and Tom Berenger slightly wooden and uncomfortable as Butch. The film is directed by Richard Lester, of THE THREE MUSKETEERS fame, and much in the spirit of those movies, i.e. very silly, over-directed, and barging its way through genre tropes with high energy and low wit. What does keep this watchable are the minor roles for future greats, with Christopher Lloyd playing a typically goofy role (he gets one of the film's funniest lines), future ROBOCOP Peter Weller a lawman, Vincent Schiavelli a bad guy, and the great Brian Dennehy a typically larger-than-life presence.

I Was surprised by Butch and Sundanese: the early days, since I'm not a big fan of westerns, but this movie was fun. I haven't seen the original Butch Cassey and the Sundanese kid yet, but I'm sure this movie is just as good. MY favorite parts were the snow, taking out a billet out of someone, a skunk spraying his oder at someone, the mountains, the scenery. The movie stars Tom Berenger as Butch Cassidy and William Katt as the Sundance Kid this time around and they did a pretty good job replacing Paul Newman and Robert Redford. John Schuck from McMillan and Wive has a bit part. He is fun to watch- I GIVE BUTCH AND SUNDANCE: THE EARLY YEARS *** OUT OF **** STARS.

On a scale of 1-4 I give it a 2 but it is definitely worth watching Tom Berenger has a very strange resemblance to Paul Newman never thought I'd say that. William Katt also has somewhat of a look like Robert Redford. Especially when he grows a mustache the movie definitely looks like it was filmed for television with the violence toned down I though it would be a shoot 'em up western. While it did have some shooting this movie is more about Butch and Sundance meeting up and starting their outlaw careers. After seeing this one for the first time I actually want to watch the original for the umpteenth time to see what was incorporated into it if you are a fan of the first one you will really enjoy this movie.