Alec Baldwins Rust: The only thing thats worth seeing in Western is also the most tragic

Running time: 133 minutes.Not rated.

In some theaters and on VOD Friday.The wait is finally over… for a movie nobody was waiting for.Nearly four years after a prop gun held by Alec Baldwin and mistakenly loaded with a live round went off and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on set, their movie “Rust” has hit theaters.And how is the Western? Mediocre and often uncomfortable to watch; forever tainted by tragedy.

Completing “Rust” and releasing it was a massive error of judgement. Lesser films sometimes get shelved by studios for reasons of quality or other corporate drama.But an average picture that resulted in the death of a young mother will be available for everybody to view on Friday.

That choice leaves a foul taste, even if the stated rationale is to showcase the woman’s work. How can anybody love this movie?Answer: They can’t.The belated arrival of “Rust” is the strange culmination of a horrible, horrible story. First there was the worldwide outpouring of grief when Hutchins died at age 42, leaving behind a little son and a windower.(Director Joel Souza was also shot, but recovered).

Then came shock and years of ugly trials against Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, resulting in Baldwin being acquitted and Gutierrez-Reed getting 18 months behind bars.Now that that press tour from hell is over, the film is here.Well, sort of.

“Rust” is only showing on 100 screens around the country (in New York, just in upstate Wilton and Albany) and drops on VOD the same day. The movie is definitely not worth a 3 1/2-hour drive, or the $14.99 at-home purchase price.Baldwin, pale and grizzled, plays a notorious outlaw named Harlan Rust.Should you forget, his last name will be spoken over and over and over again.

Nearby cast-iron skillets will be shaking in fear.Rust stomps in 25 minutes into the movie to spring a 13-year-old boy named Lucas (Patrick Scott McDermott) from the clink after the kid is wrongly accused of ...