Bone Tomahawk

Purvis (David Arquette) and Buddy (Sid Haig) are bandits killing and robbing in the old west. They stumble upon a native site and Buddy is killed by a warrior. Purvis escapes to the town of Bright Hope. Sheriff Franklin Hunt (Kurt Russell) confronts and wounds him. The town is attacked in the dead of night and people go missing. The locals suspect a clan of cannibalistic native cave-dwellers. Hunt leads John Brooder (Matthew Fox), hobbled Arthur O'Dwyer (Patrick Wilson) looking for his taken wife Samantha (Lili Simmons), and deputy Chicory (Richard Jenkins) as a posse of four.

The start is a very intriguing horror western. Then it turns into a slower paced affair. The intensity is lowered but it maintains the interest. The characters are good played by compelling actors. There are some brutal violence although sometimes the camera cuts before the coup de gras. With some of the crazy violence, it's weird that the film does the old fashion look-away. The last act is unforgettable.

This film is a rather special genre-mix of classic Western themes and gory, insane B-movie horror elements. Films like the quite watchable The Burrowers (2008) and Dead Birds (2004) have mixed those ingredients before with some success, but while those two were undoubtedly B-movies, Bone Tomahawk never feels like your typical straight to VOD genre film.

What really stands out right from the start is the writing: the precise dialog and never less than interesting characters are what really makes this film a winner in my book. The premise might not be very original - it's Western to the bone (pun intended) and very much in the tradition of great classics like The Searchers - but despite its dark themes, there is so much understated humour in Bone Tomahawk that I felt at times reminded of some of the characters in Jim Jarmusch's films. And Richard Jenkins' character, back-up deputy Chicory, is down-right hilarious. The acclaimed (and Oscar-nominated) actor clearly has a blast with his part, and the same can absolutely be said for the rest of the cast. This is a film that is willing to spend a very considerable part of its running time just building atmosphere and exploring the different characters, and the action/horror moments are actually few and far between. According to some recent interviews with the producers, the excellently written characters are also what drew A-list actors Kurt Russell and Patrick Wilson to the film, despite its micro-budget, and if Russell hadn't been so committed to playing the part of Sheriff Franklin Hunt, the film wouldn't have been made.

In spite of its tiny budget, this is a quality film that really should have had a wide theatrical release; everything from the A-list cast to the excellent cinematography, sound and production design practically scream for the big screen. A word to the wise, though; after some initial mayhem, the film moves along at a very considerate pace (and at over two hours it's a rather long film), so for those who seek entertainment heavy on action with non-stop shoot-outs, gory thrills and scares, look elsewhere: this is probably not the film for you (and perhaps also not the film that was promised in the trailers). But if you like old-school Westerns with great characters (played by great character actors), great atmosphere and deadpan humour, and you ALSO don't mind (very!) gory thrills, scares and some bloody shoot-outs along the way, I believe you will enjoy this film very much. I know I did: 7.5 stars out of 10.

Lesser-Known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite Low-Budget And B-Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

All-Time Favorite Films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/

I expected some sort of comedy-horror/western hybrid, but what I mostly got was a serious western with noticeable horror touches thrown in (until its third act, where the horror becomes even more prominent). I was surprised at how seriously the film took itself, which I now think is a strength. It could have been so easy to just make it yet another goofy horror/comedy, but what we got instead is a very restrained, very well-made, sort of classic adventure story. The directing is on point and there's a great control over the tone of the film. The decision to have so much of the film silent and without any noticeable score was a great decision. The cast is aces and the three real supporting players (Fox, Russell, Jenkins) all get their time to shine without anything being forced.

This film is a great example of what Hollywood is sorely lacking these days: Originality! Like other reviewers have mentioned, this is slow burning western/horror flick that keeps building the suspense until the finale. It's not an edge-of-your-seat thriller that is loaded with action, but it has enough to keep your interest. It has more of a typical western feel to it in terms of character development. The dialogue is spot on for this genre. The acting is superb and plot is genuine. I think that it speaks volumes about the script given the fact that the actors signed on for minimum pay (that means they WANTED to be in this film for the script and plot). The gore is definitely there for the horror fans, although I would say that if you are seeking a lot of gore, you may be disappointed. It does have some that is pretty graphic. I definitely would not let children or even some teenagers watch this, its an adult movie. If you are a fan of westerns, I think you'll like it a lot. If you are a Kurt Russell fan, you will not be disappointed (this was his first western since Tombstone). Patrick Wilson and Matthew Fox make an excellent supporting cast and demonstrate their acting skills well. This is a new cult classic!

Bone Tomahawk is a 2015 western-horror written and directed by S. Craig Zahler and starring Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox and Richard Jenkins.

The story follows four men, the town's sheriff (Russell), a cowboy (Wilson), the back-up deputy (Jenkins) and a gunslinger (Fox) who go on an expedition to retrieve a group of captives from some cannibalistic cave-dwellers. The four actors really shine in this movie, giving very good performances, especially Matthew Fox as John Brooder. It's good to see Fox in such a good role, considering he hasn't done that much since the Lost years.

The movie gives us a very good look at the Old West. As the four men make their journey, we learn more and more about them and their motivations. Sheriff Franklin Hunt is a man who wants nothing more than the safety of his town and is willing to do anything to protect it. Arthur O'Dwyer is a cowboy who has a serious leg injury but still goes into this expedition, because for him the stakes are personal. Chicory is a simple-minded old deputy but with amazing loyalty for the sheriff. John Brooder is a well-dressed well- mannered gentleman who joins the ride because he is a trigger-happy gunslinger with a personal vendetta against the natives.

The script is very well-written, giving us full tri-dimensional characters. Also the dialogue and the mannerisms feel very authentic, transporting you back to the Old West. As I said in the beginning, this movie is a horror-western, and that really shows in the third act. There are some brutal, gore-scenes that will not be easy to digest (no pun intended) for those faint of heart. One slight negative about this movie is the pacing. Sometimes it feels a little too slow, but not enough so that it will ruin your enjoyment.

Bone Tomahawk is a very good movie, with an interesting premise and a nice twist on the western genre. It's a movie that could have gone wrong in so many ways, but surprisingly, it doesn't. Sporting some great characters and an intriguing storyline, Bone Tomahawk deserves an 8 out of 10!