Ambush at Dark Canyon (2012)

Ambush at Dark Canyon is a movie that kept my interest due to the story telling concept. Set in the Southwest , Duke Donovan seeks revenge and brings us into the Canyon with authentic depictions of how it was to live in the time period. It was also entertaining in the sense that it brought me back to the classic westerns with horseback riding, gun fights in mountain side boulders along with very well place thought provoking music. I thought the movie was very well written and it made me to feel like I was among the characters riding in the southwest desert. Whether your into western movies or not; I definitely recommend to watch Ambush at Dark Canyon!

This isn't just your run-of-the-mill "shoot 'em up Western", although the sets, costumes, and gunfight scenes are all extremely well done and authentic. It's also a story with heart.I personally feel that the measure of art in any form, whether a song, book, movie, etc., is its ability to move me. Inspire. 'Ambush at Dark Canyon' did both.I laughed (mostly at William Shockley's portrayal of the cantankerous Cage Dalton, lol). I cried…oh, how I cried. And I rooted for Duke Donovan (played by country music star Kix Brooks), and shared in his triumph when justice was finally served.This DVD/CD combo really is an exceptional deal, as the soundtrack is superb. I've listened to it multiple times already, and I only bought it yesterday, lol. My favorite songs are the title track, "High in the Saddle" sung by Randy Houser, "Other Side" sung by Kix Brooks, and "I Can't Wait" sung by Rafe Van Hoy. ALL the songs are great, though, and really give the film an added richness and depth.Fantastic movie, and one I'll enjoy watching over and over again for years to come.

So I saw this movie last fall at the Austin Film Festival when it was called "To Kill A Memory". They had a special showing. Kix Brooks was there with the Director and some of the Actors. In short, the film really surprised me. Not so much because they pulled off a cool movie on a small budget, but because the film wasn't your typical western. It was told as a flashback and really took you on a journey. After the festival, I wondered what had happened to it and was happy to see that it will be out as a limited theatrical in January. Their website also says it'll be out on DVD as a 2 disk set with the soundtrack CD included. The music in the film was awesome!! Kix Brooks talked about doing the music for the film at the festival. If you're a fan of country music, or great music in general.. you'll love this. Coincidentally, I reviewed another film the director did a few years ago called the Gundown. I liked it because they dared to try and make a movie on a shoestring, but this movie is a cut-a-bove it. Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed. Great Cast, cool locations. The indi-film spirit is alive and well with this film.

There is much action and drama in this film. Shot on location in Old Tucson Studios, this movie is filled with well-recognized actors from a variety of genres. This is not just another western. Yes, there's a bar fight,but there's also a courtroom scene in which part of the drama unfolds. Kix Brooks of Brooks and Dunn fits right in with the western theme and does a fine job as an actor, adding to his already admirable professional resume. Courtney Gains (Back to the Future) and Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters) shine with the latter being an African-American law enforcement officer during a time in which that was rare. The Chinese laundry man (Paul Loh) is a hoot as well. All in all, don't miss this treat!