Texas Rangers is a 2001 American action Western film directed by Steve Miner and starring James Van Der Beek, Ashton Kutcher, Alfred Molina, and Dylan McDermott.

Just as they are reunited, John King Fisher and his gang arrive and kill several townspeople, including Lincoln's father, mother and brother, then steal cattle which are to be auctioned.

In Brownsville, Lincoln witnesses a man attempting to extort resources from the town to support his posse, which will supposedly pursue Fisher's gang.

McNelly arrives with the legitimate Rangers and is forced to kill the man, but invites any others to join his company.

Despite his ineptitude with weapons and not being from Texas, Lincoln shows determination to fight for justice and is accepted into the Rangers, along with George and others.

Out on the trail, Fisher and his gang encounter a traveling circus and kidnap a beautiful Mexican juggler named Perdita.

After training in the field, another Ranger named Sam Walters asks Lincoln to get him an appointment with McNelly because he wants to make better maps of the ill-charted Texas territory.

Later, when the Rangers catch up with the bulk of Fisher's gang, McNelly decides to attack, despite the protests of his sergeants.

McNelly collects his survivors, including Perdita, and heads for the ranch of his old friend, Captain Richard Dukes.

The Rangers ride out, but when no raid occurs, McNelly realizes that the girl lied, and Fisher must be headed for the Dukes ranch instead.

The Rangers plot their attack on the Mexican fortress after McNelly dictates his will to Lincoln, in which he leaves him his possessions and effectively instates him as leader.

The Rangers attack the fort at dawn; the Fisher gang is asleep and hungover and overpowered when Sergeant Bones takes command of a Gatling gun.

The film's source was the book Taming of the Neuces Strip: The Story of McNelly's Rangers by George Durham.

An enormous amount of people were interested in TV's The Civil War and Lonesome Dove--which Hollywood writes off as the great unwashed between the coasts.

He photographed the open spaces, gray clouds, light, red earth, trees, really sensuously.

It was made by Miramax, who cast some young teen idols in the lead, including James Van Der Beek from Varsity Blues.