The 2008 Western Appaloosa concerns two cops, played by Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen, who run into a complicated situation when hired to police a small town under the tyrannical rule of a corrupt rancher. The film is based on the 2005 Robert B. Parker novel of the same name.

Appaloosa, a town miles from anywhere, is struggling to survive so its copper mines can reopen. It’s 1882, and lawmen Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen) are hired to bring order to the community—and to stop renegade rancher Randall Bragg (Jeremy Irons) and his string of violent men from terrorizing townsfolk. The two infamous lawmen quickly bring order to the struggling town. But when the bold, beguiling widow Allison French (Renée Zellweger) steps off the train in Appaloosa, complications arise. — New Line Cinema Press Release

Here's a brief look at some recent films and television series that have helped to revive the Western genre:

• Deadwood (2004)
  • David Milch's HBO drama is set in the real town of Deadwood, South Dakota in the 1870s. The show features many characters based on actual Deadwood residents, including Sheriff Seth Bullock, businessman Al Swearengen and frontierswoman Calamity Jane.
• The Proposition (2005)
  • This unconventional, violent look at life in the Australian Outback in the 1880s was written by musician Nick Cave and stars Guy Pearce and Ray Winstone.
• 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
  • James Mangold's action thriller is based on a short story by Elmore Leonard, whose work also inspired the films Jackie Brown, Get Shorty and Be Cool. A previous adaptation of the same story, also called 3:10 to Yuma, was released in 1957 and starred Glenn Ford and Van Heflin in the roles later taken by Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, respectively.
• The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
  • This film, starring Brad Pitt as legendary outlaw Jesse James, is based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Ron Hansen. It looks at the final few months in the life of James, particularly focusing on his strange relationship with his eventual murderer, Robert Ford, played by Casey Affleck.

• IMDb: Appaloosa

• Wikipedia: Appaloosa

• Trailer Addict: Appaloosa Trailer (Time: 2:17)

• MTV Movies: Appaloosa Overview

• The New York Times: Appaloosa (2008)

• New Line Cinema: Appaloosa Press Release (October 15, 2007)