The Western movie is very much like a distant relative. People often have fond memories of them but do we have to keep seeing them? Must we keep revisiting the same small time period and narrow geographical area ( even if it is actually huge in extent!). How can heroes be admired if we are not sure that they are on the side of “progress” and the natives are not freedom loving, Earth stewards( or stewardesses or…….)? I actually used to cheer the “Indjuns” when I was a child. I felt sorry for the natives and disliked the blue clad arrogant invaders. One way to avoid difficult conversation is to make the bad-guys cave-dwelling cannibals!
If you can’t have a square jawed, white hat wearing hero then you can have Kurt Russell, everyone’s favourite grizzled veteran. Team him up with an old deputy, Richard “Gabby” Jenkins and you have an unorthodox duo who somehow manage to keep order in the town. Patrick Wilson plays the bed ridden husband who loses his wife played by Lili Simmons. Lili has developed a slightly unorthodox way of helping her husband pass the time but let’s just leave that there…….
Written and directed by S Craig Zahler, “Bone Tomahawk” was released in 2015 and deserved more exposure. The posse forms to search for the athletic nurse and the narrative is set. The action is fast paced and be warned, it does get gory in the caves! The film portrays the quest beautifully. There is suspense a plenty and some unexpected twists and turns. It is reminiscent of the Searchers in its portrayal of the disfunctional posse. Matthew Fox plays the stoic gunslinger admirably as a rival to Wilson’s character.
Western Horror is a niche of a genre but this is a classic. Not for the faint hearted but worth getting hold of. Kurt Russell is indomnable but the supporting cast also rise to the occasion.
Ferres rating : nine out of ten
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