"American Outlaws" serves as evidence that audiences will accept nearly anything on screen, even something that makes a film like "The Searchers" seem sophisticated in comparison to "Young Guns." Colin Farrell portrays Jesse James, with Gabriel Macht as his brother Frank. The movie begins with what might be the most entertaining depiction of a Civil War battle ever filmed, and then follows the brothers back to Missouri. There, railroad executives have rapidly taken over the state and are attempting to purchase everyone’s land for construction. Farms are torched, people die, and the Youngers and Jameses reach their limit. After Ma James (Kathy Bates), seemingly appearing only for a paycheck, is killed in an attack, the men decide to fight back by robbing banks connected to the railroad company. The remainder of the film consists of a series of explosions as the gang robs, Allan Pinkerton (Timothy Dalton) tries to pursue James, and they escape from one difficult situation after another. This movie is incredibly foolish. It’s that silly. Every character feels like they walked straight out of a screenwriting class: Jesse is the handsome hero, Zee (Ali Larter) is his romantic interest, Frank is the intelligent one, Cole Younger (Scott Caan) is quick-tempered, Bob Younger (Will McCormack) is intended to be humorous, Jim Younger (Gregory Smith) is the character destined to die, Tom (Nathaniel Arcand) is a politically correct Native American scout whose only purpose seems to add diversity to the group of white men, Rains (Harris Yulin) and Parker (Terry O'Quinn) are the villains, Ma James is a religious fanatic comfortable with guns and violence, and Pinkerton enjoys chasing James more than actually catching him. The young male actors wear stylish clothing and wield pistols that magically reload themselves. Fortunately, everyone over thirty-five acts foolishly, allowing these murderous outlaws to engage in action sequences and inflict serious damage without harming any innocent people. Electric guitar music accompanies the film, and it moves through its predictable set pieces where the outcome is already known, despite the filmmakers attempting to present them as groundbreaking. If you’re looking for attractive men with bare chests, there are easier ways to find that online. And if you want a good western, choose anything other than this one. The entire cast and crew should feel embarrassed for creating and filming it. Did we not learn anything from "The Brady Bunch," when Bobby idolized Jesse James until Mike introduced him to the son of an outlaw’s victim? Why is that older sitcom more responsible than this mess? The surprising thing about this movie is that Ma James dies, which motivates the brothers' revenge against the railroad; in reality, she lived almost forty years longer than Jesse. Steer clear of "American Outlaws" as you would avoid a popular woman at a brothel.

Source on TMDB