" One Ranger "

"One Ranger" is a movie that could have been made 40 years ago, and that's part of what makes it appealing. In the late 1980s, this action thriller about a legendary Texas Ranger getting mixed up with international bad guys and government agents would have failed at the box office but developed a cult following on VHS. It would have starred someone like Chuck Norris or Nick Nolte, whom star Thomas Jane seems to be channeling with his mirrored shades, walrus mustache, and gravelly character voice. Nolte starred as a Texas Ranger in 1987's "Extreme Prejudice," a film that deserves more credit for reimagining the Western in modern American terms.

"One Ranger" throws audiences into the middle of the action. There's a bank robbery out in a patch of Texas territory monitored by Texas Ranger Alex Tyree (Jane) that was spearheaded by a former IRA member named Declan McBride (Dean Jagger). Alex is in the process of arresting a local thief (Gregory Zaragoza) when McBride's gang comes driving through the area, tailed by a couple of deputies. The matter is settled by Ranger Alex commandeering the antique rifle that the thief just stole and making a series of miraculous long-distance shots. The sole survivor, the Irishman, flees to Mexico.

But no sooner has our hero had a chance to enjoy a little down time with his lady than the British government comes calling, asking Alex to travel to Mexico and extradite Declan McBride. The Mexican police won't ordinarily allow such an extradition, but they're willing to bend the rules in this case on the condition that Alex take the prisoner, because they respect Alex, you see? He's special, not like the others.

"One Ranger" deserves credit for knowing exactly what it wants to be: an American Red State answer to James Bond, about a hero who's so incredibly awesome that his reputation always precedes him, and who kind represents the spirit of his country, even though he makes a point of letting everyone know that he's just one guy doing a job (ergo, the film's title). Virtually every character is some kind of racial, ethnic, or national stereotype, flattened out to video game NPC levels. A Ukrainian who helps Alex has a tall Nutcracker-style fur hat and tells him, "It is unwise to refuse generosity of Cossack."

If you cranked up the Ridiculosity dial a bit more on Alex, he would turn into a caricature of a leathery redneck who can't get through a day without killing somebody, but he's the hero, and you're supposed to like and identify with him, so it never goes that far. The relationship between Alex and his British intelligence contact (Dominique Tipper) is notable for the way it lets both parties respect each other as equals without first going through a prolonged dance of dislike. About halfway through the movie, when Alex starts to feel run down and beleaguered and lets us see a bit more of the actual person inside the "Cowboy" armor, you start to appreciate Jane's ability to add subtlety to a character carved out of granite. There's a nice moment with Alex in a doorway that has some of the gravitas that William Holden and Paul Newman brought to "aging master" roles after turning 40. He's giving the film more than it's giving him, but the viewer still appreciates the effort.

Like the Liam Neeson "Taken" series and Denzel Washington's revival of "The Equalizer," "One Ranger" is a pretty good reptilian brain movie, just well-done enough to keep you going until the end, which holds no surprises. It's better with fists and guns

In summary, "One Ranger" is a decent reptilian brain movie that's well-done enough to keep you engaged until the end. It's a throwback to classic action films of the 1980s, and its nostalgic appeal may be a big part of its charm.