News of the World is the classic western remade for modern times. Director Paul Greenglass has worked with Tom Hanks before directing "Captain Phillips", their comfortable relationship allowed Tom to do some of his best acting in years. Capt. Jefferson Kyle Kidd is a fully realized character and Tom disappears into the role as a Civil War veteran from the South. Helena Zengel plays a German immigrant child who was captured and raised by Kiowa Indians and her performance is magnetic, ever though she doesn't speak she steals every scene she is in, Tom never had a chance. Capt. Kidd reluctantly agrees to escort the child across Texas to her Aunt and Uncle. The perilous journey is filled with danger at every town, the old West was a very dangerous place.
The cinematography is appropriately expansive and there is one scene that is an homage to the classic "The Searchers" but that is where the comparison ends. The plot of the two films have a few similarities but Capt. Jefferson Kyle Kidd is a thoughtful well read "everyman" while John Wayne portrays Ethan Edwards as a vengeful racist although Ethan has good reason to hate Comanche's. The white settlers are the constant danger in "News of the World" where as the native Americans were the danger in 1956's "The Searchers".
Great acting, excellent storytelling, wonderful scenery, "News of the World" is comfortable as an old flannel shirt and is movie making at it's finest.
89% at RT
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/news_of_the_world 
