Angel and the Badman movie review by Movie Review Mom

MOVIE TITLE: Angel and the Badman

This Western remake by Angel Studios releases in theaters on October 9, 2026.

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 1 hour 45 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B+

Featured Product About This Movie:

I found a bunch of cool cowboy hats on Amazon, but I thought this one looked the most like the one Zachary Levi wore in the first scene.

IN A NUTSHELL:

Directed by Julio Quintana, Angel Studios’ remake of the classic 1947 Western Angel and the Badman brings a fresh yet faithful reimagining of the classic John Wayne story to modern audiences. Feared outlaw Quirt Evans (Zachary Levi) staggers onto a peaceful rancher’s land with a bullet in his back. Expecting death, he instead receives tender care and mercy from Penny (Meg Fraser), the rancher’s Quaker daughter. As Quirt recovers, he begins to glimpse a life beyond violence and vengeance, but when his dark past and an outlaw gang close in, he must choose between his old bloody ways and a peaceful future as the man he truly wants to be.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Rated PG-13 for Western action, violence, and gunplay.
Gunfights, fistfights, and blood/injuries from bullet wounds.
Heavy themes of redemption, morality, and deciding between peace and revenge.
Great moral and spiritual lessons for teens and adults about non-violence and second chances.
I counted only two times that I heard mild profanity. No F-bombs. Yay!

THEMES:

Redemption and Second Chances
Faith, Compassion, and Non-Violence
Love vs. Vengeance
Conscience and Personal Integrity
Mercy

THINGS I LIKED:

Zachary Levi delivers a surprisingly grounded and charismatic performance as the conflicted gunman Quirt Evans. I got to hear him speak in person at FanX Salt Lake City last year. He seems like such a kind, genuinely good guy. I love him in everything he does.
Neal McDonough and Tommy Lee Jones add incredible Western gravitas and veteran grit to the supporting cast. They’re both always great in everything they do.
Julio Quintana’s direction beautifully captures the rugged Southwestern landscape while giving room for intimate, character-driven moments.
While there are some changes in details from the original John Wayne movie, this film stays true to the heartwarming moral message of the 1947 original John Wayne movie. The pace has been tightened for modern theatergoers.
It’s refreshing to watch a movie where good values are illustrated and even admired.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Western purists attached strictly to John Wayne’s iconic original might find the modern cinematic polish a bit different from classic 1940s Hollywood. Personally, I liked some of the details in the original that were taken out. For example, the Quaker beliefs were explained more in the original film, which helped the viewer understand why Quirt was so intrigued by the lifestyle, and not turned by just a pretty face.
Some secondary outlaw characters feel a bit formulaic in their motivations.

FUNNY LINES:

“Oh, well, it balances me. One leg’s longer than the other. You know, the weight.” — Quirt Evans
“Funny thing about pancakes: I lose my appetite for ’em after the first couple a dozen.” — Quirt Evans

INTERESTING LINES from the original movie that I didn’t hear in this remake:

“Each human being has an integrity that can be hurt only by the act of that same human being and not by the act of another human being.” — Quirt Evans (reading the Quaker plaque)
“Only the doer can be hurt by a mean or evil act.” — Penelope Worth
“From now on, I’m a farmer.” — Quirt Evans