Maverick

It seemed like the 90s was the start of this making movies based on old tv shows thing. The Addams Family, the Brady Bunch etc.

Maverick was one of those that I’m not familiar with the original verson, so I can only comment on the movie. I will say that when I first saw the film I really liked it. As a western I assumed it was going to be more dramatic simply because the 90s was also a point where cinema was moving more towards remaking the old Wild West as authentic as possible. Not that Maverick is not authentic. As a matter of fact I would not be surprised if this is more like how the west was, but it was more light hearted than I would have expected in a western (not snice Back to the Future part 3 have I saw a western that was purposely amusing.)

Usually back in the 90s when a movie based on a tv show would come out, some tv channel would revive the old series its adapting with a marathon at least, but I don’t recall that ever happening, cause to this day I have never seen the Maverick series I did not even know that James Gardner who has a role in this film was the original Maverick on the TV show (not only that, but Roger Moore (before bond)was also on the show).  Now that I have access to the Maverick series I decided to wacth the film again before making the comparison.

So Mel Gibson whose producing and starring in a film directed by his Leathal Weapon director, Richard Donner (hence the awesome cameo from Murtaugh himself, Danny Glover), Gibson plays Bret Maverick, a card shark looking to get enough money to play in the ultimate poker tournament which prize is worth half a million (And in the old Wild West that’s a shit ton of dough, a man would never have to hustle again with that cash).

On the way Maverick meets Jodie Foster’s charater, Annabelle Bransfort,  a gambler herself. Gibson and Foster  have some real good chemistry on the screen. I hear they are good freinds in real life so that might have something to do with it. He also meets James Garner’s character Zane Cooper and the three share banter with one another while going on a wild journey toward the poker tournament that’s  filled with adventure and danger.

The biggest danger coming in the form of Alford Moltia who plays one of many outlaws Maverick as swindle to the point that they want to take his head off.

like I said before, the movie is quite amusing. More fun than I was expecting in a western and filled with surprise twist(possibly too many at one point). Really good if you’re a Mel Gibson fan too.