I first saw this picture a couple of years ago about twenty minutes into it, and it's maintained my fascination ever since. I got to watch the entire story today and right out of the gate, it goes to my list of "Top Ten Films You Never Heard Of". There's more to it than just a unique meld of the Western and Sci-Fi genres; I think there's something ultimately fascinating and satisfying about an assortment of former outlaws that remains true to their principles, even if it means damnation to hellfire and brimstone. In this case, a quartet of deceased historical Western figures decides to stand up for their town after being challenged by a still alive member of the Blackjack Britton gang.

The way the story unfolds is what makes it so unique. A bank robbery in Sweetwater goes badly, and Blackjack (Eric Roberts) leads his band's escape into an idyllic countryside and a small town called Refuge. One's first hint that there's something unusual in Refuge comes when Sheriff Forrest (Sam Shepard) tells the outlaws that there's no telegraph office or newspaper in town, and cursing is only allowed in the local saloon. What the gang sees as easy pickings is the sheriff's decision not to wear a gun, along with the herd mentality of the townsfolk in keeping with their daily church service. The way it's all revealed though is with a keen focus on where the story needs to go if the spiritual angle is to be made believable.

I can think of one improvement I would have made when it came to the inevitable showdown between the good guys and the Britton gang. Remember how the church bell tolled to herald the encounter? Wouldn't it have been great if it only rang twelve times for a different kind of 'High Noon'. Really, I found myself counting and it went beyond twelve, fifteen I think it was. Not a big thing, but that would have been a great subliminal tribute to my all time favorite Western.

As for the gunfight itself, it was a keenly protracted and bloody affair, reminiscent somewhat of the 1993 film "Tombstone" and it's treatment of the Gunfight at the OK Corral. The film's minor hero Sonny Dillard (Brad Rowe) survives his mortal wounds to inherit the sheriff's badge when he passes on the stage ride to the other side. Sonny's romantic involvement with Refuge resident Rose (Amelia Heinle) was never overdone, and the way the story brought it to a conclusion was entirely satisfying.

Oh yeah, one final comment about the Indian Gatekeeper portrayed by Saginaw Grant. He never had a name in the story, but depending on your inclination, he could have been Geronimo or Sitting Bull to round out the historical roster of names on display. For my part, and in keeping with the spirit of the picture, I like to think of him as Crazy Horse.

This one caught my attention because horror and western are my two favorite film genres, and it's not every day you encounter a movie that falls into both categories. Granted, "Purgatory" is primarily a western that merely just hints at supernatural horror themes, but still it's an admirably effort to blend two very versatile genres. It's also a pretty decent film, especially considering it's made for cable and starring a long list of nearly washed up B-move actors. Imagine what a wedding between "Bonanza" and "The Twilight Zone" would look like and you suddenly got a good idea what to expect of "Purgatory". Following a bank robbery gone wrong and a severe sandstorm, the notorious outlaw Blackjack Britton and his large group of rovers arrive in a remote little town called Refuge. The inhabitants of this unworldly village are all exaggeratedly friendly and obliging, yet they strangely look like legendary gunslingers that are all supposed to be rotting in hell already. Could this secluded place be their last chance for redemption? And will they be able to resist picking up their guns again when their peaceful community is threatened by these fugitive criminals? It's really a worthwhile effort, with a reasonable portion of action sequences and a fairly intelligent script. The B-cast does a splendid job and it's pretty damn difficult to select a favorite performer. Eric Roberts hasn't played such a good role since the early 1990's and it's always a joy to look at Peter Stormare, Randy Quaid and John Dennis Johnston. The most surprisingly pleasing performances come from Sam Shepard and Donnie Wahlberg (as Billy the Kid). I was hoping for director Uli Edel to emphasize a little more on the potentially great horror aspects in the story, but we still ended up seeing a competent western, so no complaints here.

Purgatory is a conscience western you can compare to 'Unforgiven', or more likely 'Pale Rider.' It seems adapted from a scifi short story, meaning it is not dominated by its wild west setting.

Someone at TNT Originals has a great skill for making movies for the small screen. They can port a plot from the big screen and scale it down to the small screen. They reduce it from "larger than life" size to "life" size. That's what you get with this movie 'Purgatory.' It's a TV movie with characters that are serious but not ridiculous, a pace that's neither too fast nor too slow, a soundtrack that unique but not overbearing, and is a story that is epic but understated. This movie is a rare gem in TV viewing: something that makes you feel good about watching TV.