“This is why frontier life is so difficult. Not because of the Indians or the elements, but because of the idiots.” Truer words may never have been spoken about the western genre; so many of these films seem to have their share of noble idiots who are unprepared yet undaunted by a seemingly impossible task. Though motion pictures featuring cowboys, sheriffs, bandits and the like have taken a downturn over the last several decades, there has been a small resurgence of quality independent westerns that have cropped up over the past year or so. One such movie (which is where the above quotation can be found) is the 2015 horror western Bone Tomahawk.
Loosely based upon the classic John Ford motion picture The Searchers (starring icon John Wayne), writer/director S. Craig Zahler takes us into the wilds of the late nineteenth century frontier land. The movie opens with violent criminals Buddy (Sid Haig) and Purvis (David Arquette) looking for a safe haven in craggy rock formations following a bloody heist that they have just pulled (as they can hear unknown riders off in the distance). They unluckily stumble upon a cannibalistic Indian Tribe’s grounds, leaving Buddy dead and Purvis scrambling for his life.
The outlaw makes his way to the tiny town of Bright Hope, where he is quickly wounded and then arrested by the local Sheriff, Hunt (Kurt Russell). Soon after, doctor’s aid Samantha (Lili Simmons – TV series Banshee) is called for to help mend the ailing robber’s gunshot wound. The bizarre group of troglodyte natives manage to hunt down the assailant that disturbed their land, nabbing him as well as Samantha and a third unlucky townie in the middle of the long dark night.
The Sheriff puts on a brave face and rounds up a small rescue party (much like in the aforementioned The Searchers) that includes Samantha’s broken-legged husband Arthur (Patrick Wilson), a two-faced dandy/assassin named Brooder (Matthew Fox), and the slightly dim-witted Deputy Sheriff, Chicory (Richard Jenkins). The four hop on their horses and head out into the wilderness. They plan on making the five day journey in three – so that they can catch up to the Indians and save their friends and loved ones lives.
Bandits, the wilderness, and Arthur’s leg hinder the team as they blindly meander through the smoldering desert towards the supposed place where the tribe reside. The Sheriff also struggles to curb Brooder’s wildcard attitude, making it clear that Hunt is not the true leader of the pack, but simply the first among equals (due to his title).
Things take a turn for the worse when Arthur badly re-injures his leg, leaving him delirious due to the copious amounts of pain. They re-set his limb as best they can. The remaining three make the difficult decision of moving on without their compatriot, though they tell him that they will leave signs, displaying the direction they are heading on the ground so that he can follow if he feels better.
Soon after, the threesome stumble upon the sacred lands of the barbarous tribe, completely unprepared for the test they are in for. Will they be able to overcome the daunting number of natives or will they fail to pull off the rescue?
The first thing that must be said about Bone Tomahawk is that it is not for the squeamish. Though most of the film is palatable, when things go south towards the end of the picture, there are two intensely brutal scenes unlike anything you have ever seen (or most likely want to see).
Despite this, the film works on almost every level. Most of the picture feels like a beautiful homage to the westerns of yesteryear. The cast is superb – working together in perfect (or sometimes dysfunctional) harmony. Each character has his own unique viewpoint and quirks, making for an intriguing group to watch. The dialogue is also impressively sharp. What one may not expect is that much of it is actually quite funny; while at other times it is historically beautiful and simply prophetic. Though I will not spoil the finale, there is a line uttered by the Sheriff to his Deputy that flawlessly captures the tone of the moment. Other throwaway lines like “smart men don’t get married” or “I’m far too vain to ever live as a cripple” demonstrate the comedy found in the serious subject matter. I will also quickly mention the eerily guttural howls that the troglodytes make – providing a bone-chilling vibe that haunts the crew for much of their journey.
It is a rather ballsy thing to make a western in this day and age, yet S. Craig Zahler as well as the cast and crew deserve full credit. Each member of the team (be it actor, set designer, et al.), along with the locale, feels authentic to the time and situation, making for a gruesomely harmonious motion picture. The quality is amazing when one considers the low budget and short shooting time. Though this film may not be for everyone, it is definitely for those who love either horrors or westerns (or both). So, check out this gutsy little independent picture – it will provide some ‘bright hope’ to those of you who have been yearning for a modern western.