Movie Review

September Dawn (2007)

EW's GRADE
D

Details Release Date: Aug 24, 2007; Rated: R; Length: 111 Minutes; Genres: Drama, Western; With: Trent Ford and Jon Voight

 \'DAWN\' OF THE DREAD Jon Voight rides shotgun in the historical-drama misfire September Dawn
'DAWN' OF THE DREAD Jon Voight rides shotgun in the historical-drama misfire September Dawn

On Sept. 11, 1857, a sect of fire-breathing Mormon ''purists'' led the slaughter of a wagon train of emigrants. What was the travelers' crime? According to September Dawn, a plodding and highly questionable history lesson, the interlopers weren't Christian enough. Many of them were from Arkansas (how sinful!); one of their women wore pants. The audience gets the message (religious fanaticism: bad), but nothing we see is convincing on its own — not Jon Voight, in a silly beard, doing his benignly scowling, understated-overacting bit; nor the slaughter, which is all blood packs and zero horror.

Originally posted Aug 29, 2007 Published in issue #952 Sep 07, 2007 Order article reprints

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