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| Courtesy of Caliber Media |
(Now playing in limited release and VOD.)
The
horror western is a relatively small subgenre, but S. Craig Zahler (a writer
and cinematographer making his directorial debut) has added a doozy to the
list. He takes his time establishing the story’s tone and getting to know the
characters, but that makes it even more upsetting when the inevitable bloodshed
occurs in the final act. We don’t want to see anything bad happen to these
people because we’ve grown to like (or at least understand) them.
The
movie’s biggest selling point? Kurt Russell is back in full Tombstone mode as
town sheriff Franklin Hunt. He’s exactly the kind of character you’d expect the
beloved actor to play: a quiet, no-nonsense guy with a strict moral code, one who
only resorts to violence when pushed. That’s exactly what happens when a
mysterious drifter (David Arquette) shows up in the saloon.
Hunt
comes in to question him, the situation escalates, and the sheriff and his
aging deputy (Richard Jenkins) are soon dragging the drifter to jail with a
bullet in his leg. They send for the local medic (Lili Simmons), currently at
home tending to her husband’s (Patrick Wilson) broken leg, to remove the bullet
and figure that’s the end of the situation.
But
the next morning, a horrifying chain of events leads Hunt to realize that the
drifter, the medic and a young deputy have been abducted by a tribe of
cannibalistic cave dwellers known as troglodytes. Soon, a posse comprised of
Hunt, his backup deputy, the medic’s husband and the town gunslinger (Matthew
Fox) are headed to almost certain death in an effort to rescue the captives.
Bone
Tomahawk certainly delivers on the gore – the big finale features one of the
most gruesome deaths I’ve ever seen in a movie, aided by stellar (and
nauseating) sound design. I don’t know which part is worse: watching what
happens to this poor character or hearing it.
But
until then, Zahler is far more concerned with the interactions among these
fascinating characters. It’s at least a three-day ride from town to their
destination, so Hunt and the other men engage in florid, often hilarious conversations
to pass the time. There’s a chat about using a music stand to read in the
bathtub that’s particularly delightful.
Still,
viewers with shorter attention spans might not enjoy that element as much as I
did. The movie’s 132-minute running time will be too much for some (and,
honestly, it could lose a half-hour and not miss it), but I didn’t mind since I
loved spending so much time with the characters.
Credit
for that goes to Zahler’s dialogue and the staggering ensemble he managed to acquire
for his debut. Russell is awesome as always, his understated work here serving
as the film’s moral center. However, he’s matched by absolutely extraordinary
performances from Jenkins, Wilson and Fox. In fact, the latter might just turn in
career-best work (and I say that as a giant Lost fan).
The
film is definitely not for everyone, particularly if graphic violence makes you
squeamish. But if you’re a fan of westerns – one who doesn’t mind getting
thrown a curveball every now and then – give Bone Tomahawk a shot.
Bone Tomahawk is not rated, but contains graphic violence and sexuality.
Grade:
B+
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