Blu-ray Review – Red Rock West

Career-wise, Nicolas Cage was in a strange place in the early 1990s. Finding himself elevated to star status with 1987's "Raising Arizona" and "Moonstruck," Cage struggled to maintain momentum, caught between his interest in strange projects ("Vampire's Kiss," "Zandalee") and more visible Hollywood titles ("Fire Birds," "Honeymoon in Vegas"). For 1993's "Red Rock West," Cage finds a comfortable middle ground, participating in a noir exercise from co-writer/director John Dahl (who clearly loves the subgenre), delivering a measured lead performance with a few thespian explosions along the way. Cage is the glue that keeps "Red Rock West" together, providing dramatic support for a screenplay that's a little too wild with turns at times, but remains an engrossing viewing experience with a terrific sense of escalation in its first half. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com