Angel and the Badman (2026) Angel/Western RT: 105 minutes Rated PG-13 (violence/bloody images, suggestive material, language) Director: Julio Quintana Screenplay: Jaime Hernandez, Kevin M. Townsend and Christopher Tuffin Music: Hanan Townshend Cinematography: Alex Quintana Release date: October 9, 2026 (US) Cast: Zachary Levi, Neal McDonough, Tommy Lee Jones, Meg Fraser, Jean Louisa Kelly, Barrett Ellis Luca, Melissa Chambers, Maurice Greene, Jesus Carus, Sean Bridgers, Manny Greenfield, Eric T. Esparza, Nicholas Logan, John Pyper-Ferguson, Matthew Blood-Smyth.
Rating: ***
By now, we all know what typically happens during the end credits of films released by Angel Studios. It happens again in Angel and the Badman, but it’s a little different. Neal McDonough, in character, appears with gun in hand saying “Stick ‘em up!” before ordering viewers to take out their phones, scan the QR code and put all their money in his bag. I always said it’s robbery what Angel does and now they finally admit it themselves (albeit unintentionally).
A lot of folks, particularly younger ones, don’t realize that Angel and the Badman is a remake of the 1947 western starring John Wayne and Gail Russell. In fact, a lot of young people probably don’t even know who John Wayne is. I just saw the original for the first time a few weeks ago. It’s a good flick. I had my concerns about the new version, especially the casting of Zachary Levi in Wayne’s role. He’s no substitute for The Duke. Nobody is when you think about it. To the actor’s credit, he doesn’t try to imitate Wayne. He puts his own spin on the role. He’s pretty good and so is the movie (mostly).
The story is generally the same; the difference is in the details. I’ll get into that soon. First, let me give you a rundown of the plot. Quirt (Levi), a man who lives a life of crime and violence, is taken in by a family after he collapses on their land suffering from a gunshot wound. The Worths, led by widow Irene (Kelly, Mr. Holland’s Opus), are a Christian family. They believe in loving thy neighbor and helping out those in need. The one tasked with tending to Quirt is daughter Penny (Fraser, Bloody Hell) who tries to resist, but can’t help but be attracted to him.
Basically, this is Quirt’s chance at redemption, to leave behind his evil ways. First, he has to deal with past; namely, the outlaw Laredo (McDonough, Captain America: The First Avenger) who wants back the stolen Confederate gold Quirt stole from him. He goes looking for him leaving a trail of violence in his wake. In addition, a marshal (Jones, The Fugitive) is on his tail just waiting around to catch him doing something criminal so he can legally hang him. Quirt will eventually have to protect his newfound family from Laredo and his gang.
There are a few differences between the two versions of Angel and the Badman. For one, the family patriarch is deceased. He’s replaced by a feisty grandmother (Chambers, Mayfair Witches) who always speaks her mind. For another, McDonough’s Laredo is much more vicious than Bruce Cabot in the OG. And the whole bit about Quirt and an associate pulling a cattle heist? It’s gone! It’s mentioned once, but never acted on. The ending is a little different too. But like I said, the overall story is the same.
Levi doesn’t do too badly as Quirt. He’s fine as long as you don’t sit there comparing him to John Wayne. If anything, he makes the character more believable because he’s not Wayne. Audiences have certain expectations from Wayne, he’s The Duke. He’s always The Duke. Levi doesn’t have that issue. What we get is an outlaw looking for redemption for the love of a good woman. He’s not sure if he’s worthy of either, but he tries. He may not be the western hero played by many a fine actor (e.g. Randolph Scott, Clint Eastwood) but he does the part justice.
McDonough excels at playing villains and does so again in Angel and the Badman. His Laredo is a cold, twisted SOB whose days are numbered due to an unspecified illness (TB, I think). The way he deals with a barroom full of strangers when one of his associates accidentally calls him by name is harsh and violent. It doesn’t even faze him. Fraser is okay as Penny, a proper young lady trying to tame a wild stallion, a metaphor for the man she falls for. Chambers gets the best lines. Jones, on autopilot here, plays the grizzled marshal with his usual rough, no-BS style.
Angel and the Badman gets more into religion than the OG, but it’s never preachy about it. Director Julio Quintana (The Long Game) weaves it seamlessly into the story. It’s an interesting contrast to the non-bloody violence in a few scenes.
I don’t think Angel and the Badman is great, but it’s better than it should be. I liked it just fine. Of course, it pales in comparison to the 1947 film. But like I said, try not to think about the OG. You’ll like the remake better that way.
