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Absolutely brilliant

A Disappointing Continuation

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

Who would have thought that pairing wild men with wild horses would end up helping both? But that's what happens in this sensitive, beautifully filmed documentary.Thousands of wild mustangs run free out West but their numbers must be culled due to overpopulation. Though they have never been touched, let alone ridden, by humans, a number show the potential for training and adoption, and it's these that volunteer prisoners work with over a three-month period.Here we have men who never had the tolerance for patience, authority, or discipline working with animals who have run unbridled all their lives. Through a process of mutual domestication, we see both the men and the animals grow and develop.Each of the convict's stories is moving but I especially liked rugged, movie-star-handsome Jon and his work with the horse he named Samson. This a last chance for both; Jon will be thrown into prison for good if he commits another felony, and hyper-skittish Samson risks expulsion due to insubordination. But Jon perseveres until they both complete the regimen -- although their parting appears traumatic to both. Samson hurts his foot when training ends, and Jon winds up on crutches with a broken ankle! This is a powerful film about hope, bonding, perseverance, and rehabilitation. I think it would make particularly inspiring viewing for anyone with ADHD or an anger problem.

The opening shots in John Zaritsky's documentary "The Wild Horse Redemption", are from a helicopter, looking down on hundreds if not thousands of wild mustangs running free in the high desert foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. A voice over informs us that there is in excess of 33,000 wild mustangs roaming the plains of America's West, mainly in Nevada, Utah and Oregon. These herds of wild mustangs are under the protection of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), whose task is to keep the numbers of mustangs under control, but also to ensure they are not hunted down, mainly for use as horse meat. At one Federal Prison, they have a scheme that gives those inmates who choose to do so, the opportunity to 'tame' one of these mustangs, hence the film's title. It should be noted that these men are in prison for committing serious crimes, such as murder, armed robbery, or drug-related offences. Most are serving long sentences. Most have been in jail before - some will end up back behind bars. This terrific documentary traces the endeavours of a few inmates who try their hand at 'taming' a wild mustang - or to be more correct, feral horses. For those of us who think that most criminals are beyond redemption, "The Wild Horse Redemption" proves otherwise. Full marks to the authorities of this prison, who look beyond the crime, and see a man who truly seeks redemption.