> No, instead, I'd like to talk about how lame the film's ending turned out to be. This should be Brolin's big moment....

Wait, so in a movie you find problematic for its periodic cliches, you'd rather have an ending that follows suit?

Have to disagree with you there. Yes, the roll of the credits is disconcerting at first, but I think it's one of the most elegant things about it. It's been a decade and a half since I saw it, and though I remember it quite well, the final freeze frame remains the most indelible image. Is it necessary to spell out the details of what follows? All it could be is plot mechanics. The real story is over.