Maverick

Mel Gibson

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Reviewer:  Wixx

This is the updated 1994 version of a classic old television western series of the same name that starred James Garner as Brett Maverick, the title character. In this rendition, Garner is back, but this time is a famous lawman hired to provide security for a riverboat poker tournament. The tournament has a 25k buy-in (even bigger than that of the WSOP main event) and a prize of a half million dollars (much smaller than the main event and the winner does not even get an earring let alone a bracelet!).

Mel Gibson plays Brett Maverick, a gambler who wants to enter the tournament but is a little short of the entry fee. He decides to go see everyone who owes him money to try to scrounge up the last of the funds that he is missing, but all he is able to gather is hilarious comedy. He even tries to enter a smaller tournament to win the money that he needs. Along the way he runs into Annabelle, who is played by Jodie Foster. She too wishes to locate the funds needed to enter the tournament and they travel towards St. Louis for the big event.

The three main characters cross paths with each other and a slew of the old stars of many Westerns on their way. James Coburn, who was the Michael Cain of Westerns (if you have seen more than 6 movies in your life, I bet Michael Cain was in one of them), makes one of the many cameo appearances that actually make this movie a Western and a comedy. This is probably among the top western comedies of all time, right up there with Blazing Saddles and The Three Amigos.

There is some poker playing, but nothing that you could watch a few times to learn any tips or tricks. The tournament is on a beautiful Riverboat and is very well done in an old west theme. I never really thought Jodie Foster was all that pretty, but she looks pretty good in this movie and plays her character very well. Mel Gibson is a little more wired and excited than the way Garner portrayed the character in the TV series years before, but the part still works for him. If you never saw the original series you will not have these thoughts as I did, but at the same time you will miss the humor of Mel Gibson taking over Garner's role while Garner is still in the movie.

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