"Backlash" is a totally unpretentious western that, back in the day, we might simply have called a 'Cowboys and Indians' picture or just a good old-fashioned oater before words like psychological or revisionist started to be applied to the genre. Action-packed right from the opening minutes its themes are greed and revenge and its stars are Richard Widmark and Donna Reed, both of whom seem to relish the fact that they aren't required to apply much depth to their characters but simply to stick to Borden Chase's fairly stereotypical screenplay, say their lines and lift their take-home pay but being the two fine actors they are they make it all seem effortless. This is a western without an ounce of fat on its bones and director John Sturges keeps it galloping along nicely. Excellent supporting cast, too.
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