OPEN RANGE (3 stars)

(Rated R for violence)

Classic western resurrected

Kevin Costner: Charley Waite Annette Bening: Sue Barlow

Robert Duvall: Boss Spearman Michael Gambon: Denton

Baxter

Diego Luna: Button Abraham Benrubi: Mose

Michael Jeter: Percy James Russo: Sheriff Poole

Dean McDermott: Doc Barlow Directed by Kevin Costner

Screenplay by Craig Storper

Based on the novel "The Open Range" by Lauran Armyan Bernstein

Louis L'Amour novels. John Wayne¾a larger-than-life hero. Honor, friendship, justice, reverence for the land. All are elements of the classic original, the American western. In the cinema it was this genre that ushered in the new art form, 1904's "The Great Train Robbery," shocking audiences with its close-up blast of a gun.

Much maligned in recent years, perhaps from the horde of unoriginal, cliché-ridden films cranked out in the `50s, the western has experienced a rebirth of late. With Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven" and Kevin Costner's "Dances With Wolves" a fresh approach to the worn genre was introduced. Stereotypes were shattered and a psychological depth gave the cowboy a new fascination.

"Open Range" builds upon this progress and creates a film, which celebrates the values of the old west and paints a portrait of two complex men and their unique relationship with each other and their worlds.

It is 1882 and Charley and Boss are part of a vanishing breed, free-range cowboys who drive their cattle through the open land. Boss, the man in charge, is almost a father figure to his hired men, dispensing advice with a witty quirkiness. And although Charley and Boss have been in the saddle together for ten years, past secrets remain unsaid. Boss lost a wife and child to typhoid; Charley has a past littered with killings. Yet their bond is strong and their conversations become the backbone of this unique character study. Duvall's Boss even describes the duo as "an old married couple."

When the tyranny of the town of Hortonville invades their lives with violence and murder, Charley and Boss take matters into their own hands. Throw in a smidgen of romance with an independent old maid in the form of Annette Bening and "Open Range" becomes a satisfying trip into a bygone era.

Awesome photography of a vast openness, surrounded by rugged mountains introduces the film (shot in the Canadian Rockies). And this sense of naturalness is strengthened by the complete believability of Duvall and Costner in their roles. To their credit, they wear their clothes and ride their horses as if born to the saddle, almost a continuation of their roles in "Lonesome Dove" and "Wyatt Earp."

I will not jump on the bash-Costner wagon here, though "Open Range" is not a perfect film; it is over two hours and needs a tighter edit, and its villain's a tad too nasty without enough explanation. But its well worth seeing for the incredible performance by Robert Duvall-an Oscar nomination seems likely. He embodies the grizzled but wise Boss like an old shoe. "Boss is right about a lot of things," observes Charley. How true. Yet this wise patriarch can wield a shotgun with the best of them and make mean use of chloroform¾a unique touch I've never seen in a western.

"Open Range" is all about merging the familiar elements of the western with additional material that expands characterizations and setting. Dialogue is fresh and enlightening. Charley's vomit is expressed as his "old feelings coming up." And in a "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" moment Boss' real name is hilariously revealed as Blue Bonnet.

We care about these men and that is a rare accomplishment in today's high-tech cinema populated with cardboard characters. When Annette Bening's feisty Sue accepts the first of Charley's "1,000 kisses" we understand exactly why she has fallen in love with this world-weary hero and grown to care about his best friend.

Kevin Costner: "Dragonfly," "3000 Miles to Graceland"

Robert Duvall: "John Q.," "Gone in Sixty Seconds"

Annette Bening: "American Beauty"

Michael Gambon: "Gosford Park"

Deigo Luna: "Y Tu Mama Tambien"

Abraham Benrubi: TV's "ER"

Michael Jeter: "Welcome to Collinwood"

James Russo: Showtime's "Stealing Sinatra"