I persevered with this movie thinking that somewhere along the line it would all come together. I really wish that i could have those 102 minutes of my life back so that i could do something worthwhile with them. No real storyline, no real plot, no real idea of what it was trying to be. Just a series of unrelated scenes with a lead actor who makes Clive Owen look like Olivier. At one point near the end in the desert scene a young child ran off crying, i really thought that she was going to ask her mother to get her out of this picture.... The ending made me think that this was a really bad pilot for a really bad series that hopefully will never be made.

This movie becomes better upon learning that it is a student film. However, it lacks a well developed plot. The film gives good set up originally but fails to follow through on important details like why his lost love was burned, where the random characters he meets go, what the dog represents and what a "westender" even is. I rated this film a 4 because where it lacks in plot it has very good camera angles and scenery choice. With a better script it could have been vastly improved.To those who think that this film requires thinking unlike the spoon fed Hollywood formula, there is something to be said about plot development.

The visually perfect endless series of paintings: astoundingly beautiful, surreal and lifeful. One of the most atmospheric movies I've ever seen, fresh and worthy of remembrance. No, it's no action, it's even somewhat slow. Out of all standards, sometimes it even looks like a sort of a video-clip put to the majestic (not bombastic!) symphonic music of Rob Simonsen. Despite of a plenty of dramatic moments the film still leaves a good trace. The story looks really like a part of the main character's life, not just a story written by an author: characters appear and disappear playing their roles in the spiritual quest of the hero, the hero moves to his ghost-like aim haunted by the memories of his recently lost love, analyzing his chivalrous past and finding himself on the rediscovered path of honour. A little-known gem. Hardly believable that someone is still able to make such movies in 2003. 10 out of 10.

Westender is, if nothing else, a showcase for some of the nicer scenery of the state of Oregon. As an Oregonian I can appreciate that. We've got some nice rain forests and some breathtaking deserts. It's a nice state to visit, but for God's sake don't come here to make a movie. Seriously, we're the kiss of death for just about any movie that is filmed here. I wish I could be more supportive of my state and say otherwise, but the evidence is piled too high so I've got to be honest about it. Movies made in Oregon, even in part, face some serious problems. Westender is a good example of that. It has some great location shots and the director has a talent for framing a pretty scene, but the film just cannot manage to rise above feeling like an end-of-term film school project. The story is pretty straight forward: a downtrodden warrior named Asbrey thoughtlessly gambles away a ring that belonged to a lost love. When he comes to his senses he pursues the man who won it and in the process gets caught up chasing a band of slavers. Simple enough, except that the protagonist is also prone to hallucinations, bizarre dreams, and fits of madness. Don't get the idea that this is an action movie, by any means, but it's more a journey through the protagonist's soul. And since the story is told from his perspective it is all too easily led astray, wandering off on tangents that hint at his past and his motivations, but never tells you enough to make much sense. Supporting characters occasionally show up, hoping to help ground Asbrey and help to provide some means by which he could be better understood, but they are all to easily discarded. And so without any anchor, Asbrey spends way too much time wandering about in a stupor, taking the audience on a journey that makes sense in the end but is too long and too dull in the process.