It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

best movie i've ever seen.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

John Candy is on record as saying he feared something bad was going to happen if he went to Mexico to make this film. Well, two bad things happened. John Candy died, and this film was made. How's that for bad karma? Wagons East is a stupendously bad film on just about every level. A scarce chuckle or two in almost two hours is about all you can expect. Only a few scenes with Candy are rewarding, mostly because they will remind you of how funny he had been in the past. With this film, we see perhaps an interesting idea for an SNL sketch stretched into an insufferably long film. We see some decent character actors wasted, while the wrong ones get most of the screen time. And worse than anything, we see a John Candy that is painful to watch. He was heavier than ever, and just looks like he'd rather be any place else. How in the world did they find a horse strong enough to carry him?The story deals with a handful of people ready to give up on life in the old west and start a wagon train heading back to St. Louis where they can give city life another try. There are a couple of cute early gags involving the oft-robbed town banker and a gay bookstore proprietor selling a cowboy a copy of Pride and Prejudice so he can use it for toilet paper. These are interesting observations, but again they cannot be the basis for a feature length film. Once the train gets rolling east, what little laugh well we had dries up rather quickly. How long did they milk the Donner Party angle? This might have been good as a throw-away gag later in the film, but the fact that Candy's character was their wagon master too is brought up again and again and again. Any of the half-dozen subplots involving people on this journey could have been cut and actually would have improved the picture. We just don't care about these people. What has Richard Lewis ever done to be the star of a theoretically mainstream comedy? The guy isn't funny. At all. Never was. Too bad the last film Candy ever did turned out this bad. Its doubtful that Canadian Bacon would be much better, so I just won't even watch that one. 3 of 10 stars.The Hound.

Recap: A few American settlers with bright hopes of a new beginning in the west get deeply disappointed at the lack of civilization and opportunities and decide to head back home. Back east. They hire a all but confident wagon master and start their journey through the perilous country. However, back home some industrialist fear that they could start a new trend and that they would lose out on millions of dollars. The wagon train must be stopped.Comments: One of the great parodies of Western movies it is deeply underrated and, in my mind, obviously misunderstood. A good mix of puns and jokes from the Western genre are sprinkled with satirical jokes about life in common and some original jokes. I can't say it's pace is high but there is no slow parts and it is never dull. There is always something to laugh about. And that maybe one of its great strengths, that might have been overlooked. There is much subtle humor, small details that are just great. Or is it that it's just the humor that speaks to me.An impressive cast of comedians, some that have proved their worth both before and after. The obvious lead is John Candy as the defamed wagon master (from the real Donner Party, the character is not though). Stated that he was unwilling to do this movie but had to because of contractual obligations it is still impressive that he can be so good in it. Not his best movie, far from it, but it is till really good. Unfortunately it was also to be his last movie as he died during filming Wagons East, but some skilled editing and rewriting make that fact unnoticeable by watching the movie.He also has some strong support of actors and comedians. Most prominent, to me, is Richard Lewis who is too underrated but does a great role once again. And then there is John C McGinley. Now doing a great character in Scrubs he already here shows his comedian talent as the overly gay settler. Notable appearances also from Robert Picardo and Ethan Phillips, both of later Star Trek fame, Abraham Benrubi and Ed Lauter.All in all it is a great comedy. It sure helps to appreciate some wacky humor and parody of the Western genre. I've seen it several times and it never fails to deliver.8/10

Take a look into the sad eyes of this mountain of a man, and you'll know that he was degenerating. This was a hilarious movie for all that, with so many slaps and arrows darted at the traditional western. Ex: "Why do they circle the wagons? If you made a square the Indians would have to go wider to make the circle." I think this suggestion was made by an Indian that goes off with the Western dude who kills the bad guy. Was that a spoiler? I'm never sure.And those of you who love Scrubs will love this movie, cause the tyrannical doc plays a homosexual cowboy!!!! Great number of site gags, as well as Candy playing dual roles. Watching him play with his electric train (as the train magnate) was unforgettable. Then he calls out the U.S. Calvary, as any patriot knows can be done by the corporate maggots who control our government today. Quite a few sly digs at our history and political figures. "I confiscated the horses of the Donner Wagon Train, which caused them to cannibalize themselves as they died. And only Candy (his character) knows I did it", the general says to the aide. "But I know", says the aide. "Then either you agree to be in my Cabinet when I'm president or if I have to kill you right now."....reminiscent of the present crack-head-in-chief and the deals he made to get into office.Check the movie out. Will remind you of a kinder, gentler time, both 10 years and 100 years ago.

It's not a brilliant film, certainly not John Candy's best work, but I would like to commend the editors. John Candy died during production of this movie, and just under half the scenes were recorded using another actor in John Candy's place. Candy's face was then added using computers. And it's an almost perfect job.