Classically told 1980s-adjusted pop-western about the legendary anti-hero Billy the Kid and his notorious posse. The film is full of archetypes and not overly concerned with historical accuracy, but it has enough charisma to capture you with its combination of sentimental moralizing and feel-good scenes. Lead actor Emilio Estevez is so full of his characters boyish mischievousness that he completely smothers the dramatic potential in some scenes. But then again, the drama isn't necessarily what's most important here, as the 'brat-packers' enter the western genre. It's interesting to see how the ostensibly emotional aspects of the story are switched on and off according to need in order to drive the plot forward. As if director Christopher Cain tries to give us half-and-half of sentimentality and coolness – without ever considering weaving the two together. Still, Young Guns works shamelessly well on its own self-defined terms, and it lets its abundance of bubbling boyish carelessness overshadow whatever doubt we had that it would not.