If you are expecting an intellectually rigorous dissection of the James-Younger gang's motivation for lawlessness...this ain't it.

What you do get is a rip-roaring take on the Robin Hood fable...except the men in Lincoln green have swapped longbows for shotguns.

Instead of the Sheriff of Nottingham, corrupt railroad magnate Thaddeus Rains (Harris Yulin) is the evil industrialist bent on seizing any land that's in his way.

Fresh back from the war, farmers Jesse and Frank James (Colin Farrell and Gabriel Macht) find Federal Troops enforcing the law in their home town.

They are in cahoots with Rains, whose has hired mobster Allan Pinkerton (Timothy Dalton) to force farmers to sell up for ludicrously low prices.

After facing up to the bullies, Jesse realises the best way to take them is not head on but by swift, one-off attacks where it hurts - in the pocket.

So he gathers his bank of crack war veterans together and heads off...but not before making his feelings plain for hometown beauty Zee Mimms (Ali Larter).

The gang then embarks on a period of intense harassment with Pinkerton virtually powerless to stop them.

However, they go one bank robbery too far and Jesse decides to retire with Zee...but the baddies are far from finished with him yet.

You can't help but groan at some of the over-simplifications of the rogue gang's life...but there is plenty to enjoy and the performances are competent.

It's certainly not Unforgiven territory but director Les Mayfield can handle the action even if the plot creaks along a bit.

This is one for a cold dark night - it won't frighten the horses but it's an amiable enough ride along the way.

Tim Evans