Streaming movie review - Ghosts of Red Ridge

Ghosts of Red Ridge ** (out of 5) Between movies and series episodes, I’ve probably seen a few thousand westerns. Some have even crossed over with sci-fi and the supernatural, like Cowboys & Aliens, Jonah Hex or various totally forgettable flicks pitting cowpokes against vampires, zombies or other things that go bump in the night. This low-budget affair breaks a bit of new ground… more unique, perhaps, than laudable.

Red Ridge is a dusty, nowhere little town of dashed hopes. It was founded on the promise of a gold rush that never materialized, leaving a handful of bored residents with nowhere better to go. Even the local outlaw gang that harasses the folks can’t come up with enough loot to make a decent living. The sheriff (Owen Williams) and his deputy (Trent Culkin – apparently no relation to the other Culkins in the biz) seem like good guys, but not the stuff of which legends are made. Adding to the sheriff’s sense of being overmatched are ghostly hallucinations that start driving him nuts. He sees dead people (none of whom look anything like Bruce Willis) and doesn’t know why. Or like it.

As events unfold, there are a few holdups and shootings, with a couple of unlikely deaths. The small gang gets smaller and the town’s sparse population takes a few hits. The sheriff is more of a thinker than a doer. Oddly, his only book is about thermodynamics. But the most unusual part of this isn’t the ghosties. This is the only western I can recall in which absolutely no one rides a horse! A couple of them pull the stagecoach in one scene. But no one’s ever in a saddle, and none are tied to any hitching posts along the street.

The cast of actors I’ve never seen do a fair job of filling their roles under the tutelage of director Stefan Colson, whose prior work behind the camera is equally unfamiliar. They collectively keep things interesting enough to stick with despite the low level of action. Writer Brandon Cahela donned an outfit for a minor supporting role. Another sign of limited funding.

So the film is a low-key curiosity that might work for you, now that you know not to expect much in the way of f/x or adrenaline stirring.

(Ghosts of Red Ridge debuts on digital formats as of 12/3/24)