Slapdash, amateur, and overly long, Merlin Miller's "Jericho" wants desperately to be a Western as if it were directed by Rod Serling. The film attempts a typical Western scenario but tries to manipulate it's audience with a "surprise" ending. The biggest problem with this "Twilight Zone"/"Memento" shocker is that Miller takes far too long in exploring it's meaning in the film's final reel. A 20 minute segment that reverts back in time to the beginning of the film should be a quick-cut, rapid-fire 2 minute trip. Miller insists on draining any energy or insight away from this revelation by taking far too long to expose it, covering ground that is obvious and unnecessary.

The film begins with a robbery and diverts off course from the aftermath to engage us with a story about redemption and salvation. The titular Jericho begins as an amnesiac befriended by Joshua, a black freed slave who is making his way to Texas to begin his life again. The friendship between the duo, black man and white, preacher and apparent gunslinger, all-knowing and amnesiac, is wondrous. These dynamic between two characters engage us immensely. Most of this is a direct result of the amazing portrayal of Joshua by Leon Coffee. Using his relaxed nature, Coffee overcomes the stereotypical idea of the "black man as mystic" theme of his character to create a warm and human personality which never fails to win our hearts. During this segment of the film, when it seems that the theme of the film will be about the amnesiacs ability to lay his past to rest and become a full person, the film soars. We like what it is saying and where it is going.

But Miller and his multitude of scripters (who spent 20 years honing the tale) can't seem to be happy by resting the film on a simple and beautiful relationship. Instead, they insist on this "surprise" ending and a wrap-up that is as phony and contrived as a Hallmark card. It's a shame.

"Jericho" is a average film often saved by Coffee's charm. In fact, he salvages the film from complete idiocy. Miller, since he insists on his trick ending, is in desperate need of an editor. His elongated and frustrating ending only serves to piss off the audience. And his resolution of Joshua, which is no real resolution at all, will also anger the crowd. This film starts bad and ends worse, but in it's mid-section is a story of immense warmth and humanity. This is the meat of the tale, to bad Miller insists on concentrating on the head and the tail of it instead, tossing the body into the campfire.

Notes:

Also with R. Lee Eremy, Mark Collie, Mark Valley, Morgana Shaw and Buck Taylor.

The score by Mark Haffner often threatens to break into a Richie Sambora "Wanted Dead or Alive" Bon Jovi riff at any second.

Filmed mainly in Texas.

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