Bone Tomahawk (2015)

Bone Tomahawk

• It’s been quite a while since I’ve watched a good Western, especially one made recently. I feel like there aren’t too many good Westerns nowadays, and a lot of them feel the same. But this one feels different from those. It honestly doesn’t really differ too much from other ones, at least in terms of story and vibe. It’s got your classic “rescue the people who were kidnapped” story, and most of the film follows the men on their trip to rescue them, rather than the rescue itself (that’s what the third act is for). But it’s basically just a slice of life in the 1890s, and it was great. It’s almost peaceful, yet full of so much tension. There’s a slow build up to the third act, which may be tedious for some, but I think it’s a perfect set up to a brutal finale. This film is technically described as a “Western horror”, and though it’s much more Western than horror, you can obviously see the horror elements. Once the men reach the cave, then it does get pretty tense and claustrophobic, which is beautiful. Especially when it came to *that* scene….disgusting and gross, but such a good scene that completely shifts the tone, more than it’s already been shifted. It’s so well executed (pun intended). So yeah, the story might seem cliche, but it takes a turn that I’ve never seen in any other Western. The cast helps greatly with the aesthetic and authenticity, too. I’ll watch anything that Kurt Russell is in, and the same goes for versatile actor Patrick Wilson. They both do phenomenal, and turned in some of my favorite performances from them. Richard Jenkins also steals the spotlight, especially in his scenes when he’s in the cage. He’s such a vulnerable old man, and you can’t help but want to sit and listen to anything he has to say. Matthew Fox is also very solid, and I enjoyed seeing my man David Arquette for the first few minutes. The visuals were very dry, grimy, dusty, and bleak, but it sets the stage for the environment and what’s to come. The score was a little weak, and quite the opposite of a traditional sweeping Western score. Lastly, the costumes and makeup were on point, and though they feel like every other Western ever, it still makes the mood feel…right. Overall, this film is quite good, and if it leaned more into the horror throughout the film, then we have an “A” rating. The slow burn is really good, but they could’ve taken it *just* a bit more and had a masterpiece on their hands. Either way, I liked it a lot, and I’d recommend it to all Western/horror fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go check it out now!