Open Range

Charley Waite, a veteran gunfighter turned rancher, travels with his loyal partner Boss Spearman and a small crew across an unforgiving landscape. When a corrupt lawman targets their cattle operation, Waite must decide how far he will go to defend his livelihood and the people who rely on it. The film follows a tight knit group of frontier men who rely on shared codes of loyalty, practical skill, and quiet courage as they face threats from those who wield power for personal gain. As tension mounts, old loyalties are tested and the line between protector and vigilante becomes blurred. Open Range builds to a tense confrontation that tests character, not merely firepower. Its action scenes stay grounded in frontier grit.

Directed by Kevin Costner, Open Range draws on the storytelling instincts of Lauran Paine and Craig Storper. Costner helms a Western that blends action with moral deliberation, reflecting his long standing fascination with frontier justice and rugged communal codes everywhere.

Open Range grossed 68,296,293 worldwide on a 22 million budget, delivering a solid return for Costner's late 2000s Western film, and proving that a traditional frontier drama could still resonate with broad audiences. It appealed to both fans and newcomers.

While not a breakout franchise phenomenon, Open Range has been noted for revisiting classic Western archetypes with restrained style. The landscapes and practical action emphasize character over spectacle, and the film’s depiction of community defense and ethical codes has earned it a modest place in Costner's filmography among American westerns.

Critics generally praised Costner's patient approach and the performances by Duvall, Gambon, and Luna, while noting the film's steady pacing and solid action sequences. The ensemble work elevates themes of loyalty, ethical lines in frontier justice, and the costs of defending a way of life against corruption and universal appeal.