This is not your typical western. It's more an exploration of the inner dynamics of a gang, as well as the racially driven turmoil of the country during its tumultuous expansion westward. This expansion runs roughshod over the existing cultures, creating a recipe for the violence we witness in the film. While the film does not excuse the atrocities committed by the Rufus Buck Gang, it gives insight into what compelled the gang to go on their rampage. In short, they see violence as the only means to take back power over their lives. In the end, they may face the justice of the rope, but the journey you take with them is not so black and white, and it exists in the gray area of multiple conflicting realities.
The film lives and dies with the performance of Rufus Buck-- and Charlie Townsend gives a breakout performance in his portrayal of Buck, which keeps you glued to the screen. The supporting cast does a solid job with this dialogue driven movie. That said, the dialogue is strong and elucidates many of the complex themes being explored, such as racism, sexual abuse, childhood trauma, the pursuit of fame at all costs, and even the pros and cons of civilization itself.
While this is definitely a low budget film, it has the unique off-kilter vibe which is the upside of a good indie flic. It's clearly not the product of studio development, and as such, may be hit or miss with a general audience more used to Marvel superheroes than unpolished explorations of difficult subject matter. The film is based on the real life Rufus Buck Gang, and while it stays true to a general history of events, it takes some liberties in the name of dramatic storytelling.
As far as traditional western expectations, it delivers on shoot-outs and epic frontier settings, yet those are not the basis of what makes this film work. It's the scenes of the gang interacting with each other, trying to figure out what to do with the temporary power they've seized with impulsive violence that makes this all fly. Somehow, you see the humanity within these teenage criminals, despite their atrocities. You don't agree with them, per se, but you understand them. And each gang member has a distinct personality, a tribute to the actors cast and the writing itself.
Some recognizable names make appearances, such as Brian Austin Green and Robert Carradine, but it's Danny Trejo as the Grave Digger whose seen it all, who ties the movie together with his colorful narration. The female leads, Jolene Palmer (Kelsey Reinhardt) and Ellie Patterson (Anna Florence), are also strong, rising above the level of victims amidst the deadly assault on their families. As far as the lawmen, Tim Abel is a classic western archetype as Heck Thomas, and his Indian police partner Tommy Wolfe provides as nice counterpart to this. With all of the contention in the film, it's good to see two men from different cultures making peace with each other so they can deliver justice. Peter Sherayko plays the hangman Maledon, who is equally concerned with his own dime novel legend as he is with capturing the gang. That pursuit of fame provides a nice secondary theme to the narrative itself.
Because the film stands out against the typical genre fair, I am rating it high, despite some of it's lower budget issues and the limitations of what can be done on a more frugal production. The expressions of casual racism from a few of the characters may be a turn-off for some, while others may find its gritty realism noteworthy. Nothing is sugar coated in director Paul Volk's film, that is for certain.
The cinematography and moody score are exceptional strong points and the narrative, while chaotic at times, holds your attention until the final haunting image.
