The Outlaw Josey Wales Blu-ray review

            The Outlaw of Josey Wales begins like many of the earlier violent films Clint Eastwood had starred in and directed, but after the opening sequence which suggests a bloody revenge is in order, the movie slips into a storyline more similar to Shane. As angry as Josey Wales seems to be, disgusted with the world around him, he attracts many people he must protect.

            Josey Wales is a simple poor southern farmer at the beginning of the film. The Civil War doesn’t seem to be of much interest to him until a group of unlawful soldiers pillage and burn his home, killing his wife and child in the process. Determined to seek revenge on the man responsible (Bill McKinney), Wales refuses to surrender when the war is over. He becomes a wanted outlaw with only one purpose.

            Although Wales simply wants to avenge his family, he is accosted by many along the way. There are others who are willing to help him, though they end up finding his help much more rewarding. Whether an old Indian in need of a purpose or a group of settlers in need of protecting, Wales doesn’t seem to want others around, but he is also a conscionable human willing to make sacrifices to his own mission. Violence isn’t something he seems to relish, until finally meeting up with the man who killed his family.

            The 35^th Anniversary Blu-ray book includes all new special features and a 32-page collectible case. The new special features include a commentary by Richard Schickel and a featurette about Eastwood’s western career. There are also two vintage featurettes and a theatrical trailer.