‘Angel and the Badman’ opens in theaters from Angel Studios
Category: Movies
In 1947 John Wayne starred in the Western classic film Angel and the Badman. Then came the 2009 TV movie starring Lou Diamond Phillips. The movie has been remade for theater audiences with Zachary Levi in the starring role. It basically follows the same storyline with a few changes.
Western feature films are not common these days. Today’s audiences are not that interested in them, however when Angel Studios makes a western, it is something audiences will take note of. With Christian principles and morals guiding the story, this definitely has the Angel Studios mark.
Notorious outlaw/gunman Quirt Evans (Levi) takes refuge in the farmhouse of the Worth family, a religious family who are more than kind to the wounded man. Jean Louisa Kelly is the mother, Barrett Ellis Luca is the young son, Melissa Chambers is the grandmother, and Meg Fraser is Penny, the daughter who takes a fancy to Quirt.
Tommy Lee Jones co-stars as the Marshall who quietly keeps his eye on Quirt in order to flush out Laredo (Neal McDonough) and his outlaw gang. With a lot of Confederate gold on the line, this gang is ruthless in their hunt for their former friend Quirt who is the last person in possession of the stolen loot.
While Quirt recovers from his gunshot wound, the Worths provide him with a comfortable room, plenty of food, and clothes. Through the days he and Penny form a strong bond that gradually turns to affection, which is something completely new to this gunman. He has never known the kindness he is now afforded.
The family’s values are completely new to him and, with the nurturing of Penny, he realizes the wrongs he has committed. His good heart finally emerges and for possibly the first time in his life, he does something completely out of character. He puts the family’s well being above his own.
There are plenty of shoot-em-ups in the film with some gruesome scenes. This is a gritty western threaded with religious values which, unlike many in the genre, turns a bad man into a good one. Usually in westerns, there is a strict delineation between good and bad, but this time the lines are blurred.
Filmed on location in New Mexico, Angel and the Badman takes audiences back to the days of the old west with outlaws, gunmen, and dusty locales, as Quirt takes a hard look at the man he is and the man he wants to be.
Angel and the Badman is rated PG-13 for violence/bloody images, suggestive material and language. It opens in theaters October 9, 2026.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She is a long-standing member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.