*Angel and the Badman* is a remake of the 1947 Western starring John Wayne. Zachary Levi takes on the role of gunslinger Quirt Evans; he is an actor who shares Wayne’s conservative values but lacks his screen presence. This works to the detriment of this Angel Studios release, which conveys a positive message about personal redemption through faith but suffers from a narrative so slow-paced that viewers are likely to lose interest.
A wounded Evans is taken in by Irene Worth (Jean Louisa Kelly, of *Uncle Buck*) and nursed back to health by her adult daughter, Penny (Meg Fraser). He has hidden a stash of stolen Confederate gold, and a ruthless criminal named Laredo (Neil McDonough) is willing to kill him to find it. Meanwhile, the local marshal, Boone McClintock (Tommy Lee Jones), investigates the matter, aware that Evans did not acquire the gold legally.
Director: Julio Quintana
Writers: Kevin M. Townsend, Christopher Tuffin, Jaime Hernandez
Stars: Zachary Levi, Neal McDonough, Tommy Lee Jones
Unlike many Westerns, *Angel and the Badman* is not the typical story of a battle between good and evil. Instead, the unscrupulous Evans is transformed by the generosity of the Worth family, who live by Christian values. Spending time with them—and seeing that they do not judge him—leads the man to reconsider his misconduct. He even begins attending church. And when he discovers that an unpleasant neighbor is hoarding the water supply, he decides to intervene. Curiously, the film still concludes with a violent shootout.
The basic story is quite pleasant. However, director Julio Quintana fails to make it exciting. It lacks dramatic momentum, even though various plot elements offered opportunities for it. The execution is lackluster, failing to make Evans’s transformation seem like anything more than a standard trope of faith-based films. The romance between Evans and Penny also lacks spark. It doesn't help that Levi turns out to be something of a black hole as an actor.
He doesn't play Evans as a particularly bad guy in the early scenes; perhaps he feared coming across as unlikable on camera. Whatever the reason, the fact that the character eventually embraces decency carries little weight. McDonough does a solid job as Laredo—though he has been cast as a villain countless times over the years, and his performance here offers nothing new. As for Tommy Lee Jones, his character—the marshal—is practically irrelevant and has nothing of note to do. Why hire an Oscar winner only to waste his talent?
Honestly, I couldn't point to any specific aspect of *Angel and the Badman* and call it terrible. The film is competently made, and the theme of personal growth is admirable. Even so, the movie stalls and fails to offer any genuine emotional or intellectual engagement. It is incredibly boring.
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