The Thicket

The Thicket is a decent film boasts a good cast; stars Peter Dinklage, Leslie Grace, Juliette Lewis, Esmé Creed-Miles, Levon Hawke and Macon Blair. West Texas. After his sister Lula Parker (Esme Creed-Miles) is kidnapped, a desperate boy Jack Parker (Levon Hawke) recruits by a fierce bounty hunter named Reginald Jones (Peter Dinklage) to track down a ruthless and violent killer known only as Cutthroat Bill (Juliette Lewis). So Reginald becomes the leader of the group of outcasts searching for the stolen girl. As he rallies a band of unlikely heroes including a grave-digging ex-slave Eustace Hollow (Gbenga Akinnagbe) and a street-smart woman, Jimmie Sue, (Leslie Grace) for-hire. Together they embark on a perilous quest to track down Cutthroat Bill that leads them into the deadly "no-man's-land" known as... The Thicket. Death comes fast in Texas !.

This is a nice Western with noisy action, thrills, chills , violent attacks , assaults and loads of action. The film deals with the perilous and risked way that the motley expedition carries out their journey to track down to Cutthroat Bill. Exciting, though it is too, the film is not without its thoughtful side. Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones) plays a ruthless bounty hunter in this violent revenge Western set in the early oil era of the early 20th century in Texas, in a place full of oil wells, cold envoronment snowy landscapes and where the first motor vehicles such as motorcycles are already seen. The film is full of murderers, blood and redemption. In the movie many sad and brutal events happen being based on the novel of the same name , a mystery/suspense novel written by American author Joe R. Lansdale , released by Mulholland Books in 2013 , which was adapted by playwright Chris Kelley.: The Thicket, here Dinklage plays an eloquent and resentful bounty hunter who will help a young man to find his sister, kidnapped by a bank robber. Directed by Elliot Lester (Blitz, Aftermath), and co-starring Juleitte Lewis (From Dusk Till Dawn, Cape Fear), the film also has in the cast with Levon Hawke (son of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman), James Hetfield member of the famous hard rock group Metallica, Leslie Grace (Batgirl) and Andrew Schulz (Sneaky Pete).

The motion picture was professionally directed by Elliot Lester , delivering action and tension enough , although a little slow-moving at times. . This filmmaker is a fine craftsman who has directed some acceptable movies. Elliott's feature film ¨Nightingale¨, starring David Oyelowo and produced by Brad Pitt's Plan B, premiered in 2015 on HBO and earned David a "Best Actor" win at the Critic's Choice Awards. The film also received nominations at the Emmys and Golden Globes. His most recent film ¨Aftermath¨, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger & Scoot McNairy and produced by Darren Aronofsky. In addition, he is attached to direct the sci-fi thriller ¨Continuum¨ for Entertainment Studios with Josephson Entertainment producing. Lester has directed other important films such as: ¨Blitz¨ , ¨Sleepwalker¨,¨Love is the drug¨. In TV, Elliott recently sold ¨Say their names¨ to HBO, which he will direct. Elliott has previously directed multiple episodes of TV, including ¨Will¨ and ¨Containment¨ . Elliott is also an established music video director having worked with Avril Lavigne, Selena Gomez, and The Fray, among others. The Thicket(2024) rating: 6.5/10. Essential and fundamental seeing for Western enthusiasts .

Set against the unforgiving backdrop of the Wild West, The Thicket tells the story of a mismatched group of individuals: Reginald Jones, a bounty hunter portrayed by Peter Dinklage; his loyal sidekick Eustace, played by Gbenga Akinnagbe; Jack, who enlists their help to rescue his kidnapped sister (Levon Hawke); Lula, the sister in peril (Esme Creed-Miles); and the menacing outlaw Cut Throat Bill, brought to life by Juliette Lewis.

This film evokes memories of Sergio Corbucci's spaghetti Westerns, yet it opts for a more subdued palette, emphasizing the darker aspects of its narrative and employing somber cinematographic techniques. It is only towards the conclusion that the visuals begin to brighten.

The storyline is populated with nefarious characters and unstable individuals, all too willing to inflict harm on anyone displaying courage or a strong moral compass. Consequently, the innocent siblings endure their share of hardships before they learn to adapt and survive in this brutal, unforgiving environment. Their plight is compounded by the tragic loss of their parents to smallpox and the murder of their grandfather (Guy Sprung) by Bill, which sets off this harrowing journey.

In summary, this film is likely to captivate those in search of a chilling, action-packed thriller that embraces its brutality and mercilessness with a haunting, macabre flair. Enjoy!

For the press run that Peter went on to sell this thing, I was expecting more. I love Juliette Lewis (The Other Sister, From Dusk 'Till Dawn) and she basically carries the entire film. In my opinion, Peter Dinklage gives an unmemorable performance here yet shines in comparison to the rest of the somewhat unknown cast.

As far as Tubi movies go, this is a decent watch. I just felt like there was something missing. As far as westerns go, this one just doesn't feel like it has a lot of grit. I remember watching an interview with Peter where he recalls one of the producers wanting a character in the film to have a "James Hetfield" look (lead singer of Metallica, for those who don't know) and Peter suggested that they just get James Hetfield to do the movie. Well, there is probably a reason why they suggested a professionally trained actor who looks like Hetfield, rather than Hetfield himself. He does an okay job, even kind of bad at times.

I don't want to get political with this review, but I feel like this needs to be addressed. I understand that every movie can't be Django Unchained. I also understand that life imitates art and visa versa, and we are trying to create a better world here. But there is something inside of me that is crying out every time I watch a period piece made in modern times. It seems like Hollywood is desperately trying to rewrite history to make America's past seem way less racist and horrible than it is. This is a pretty good example of that. There is ZERO racial tension in the film, despite the fact that two out of the five characters are African American who go up against some of the frontier's nastiest outlaws. To my knowledge it isn't even mentioned and I didn't know that Reginald's (Dinklage) counterpart Eustace (Gbenga Akinnagbe) is an ex-slave until I read that in the film's description. No one else in the film mentions it at all. It's not a huge issue, it just feels kind of disrespectful to the people in that time who suffered the horrible atrocities of slavery. I just really don't like the white washing of American history. Sorry, rant over.

Another part of this movie that I didn't enjoy is seeing Andrew Schulz in the film. I don't like this man's comedy, I don't care for his podcast, and I think that he does a middling job here. He also sports the exact same haircut and mustache that we see in modern times which feels out of place. I remember a golden age of film where truly talented actors was enough to get people to see your film. Now we're at a point where we are relying on YouTube stars to get people to watch. It makes me kind of sad honestly.

I really wanted to like this movie more than I did. The cinematography is pretty good, despite the fact they use plenty of cheat codes (filming a western and using a winter backdrop, for example). I saw this for free so I guess beggar's can't be choosers, but I found this film to be average at best.

If you like westerns, you got to see it!

Peter Dinklage is amazing in it. Every attempt Dinklage makes to be a Bonafide leading man has never failed! He's shown time and time again that he has the chops, and this movie is no different.

But Juliette Lewis! This was a surprise indeed! Not saying she has not proven herself a good actor as well, but man! She locked down one of the best bad guy performances I ever scene. It's one of those things where the internet is going to need to make a click bait list of most underrated Villains in cinematic history just so they can put Cutthrought Bill on the list persuading the cult status.

Last but not least (well actually...) Jame Hetfeild. I have to admit I'm a big enough fan of Metallica to put in the effort to see this in theatres (which may not have been the cheapest choice considering its a Tubi original film and might be released on the format in a few days for free). Everything I know about Hetfeild is that he took a long time to come out of his shell to try holding some lines in a film, but he does it and does it well enough. It was fun seeing him act.

Surprisingly and oddly unique as a western too taking place in what must of have the very end of the wild west. No dates were given but it is interesting to see cars and bikes in a western. I'm guessing 1910 or 1911.

Anyway, it can drag along some times but overall, it was worth sitting though.

The Thicket (2024) is a gritty Western thriller that has its moments but ultimately falls short of its potential. Based on Joe R. Lansdale's novel, the film sets up an intriguing premise: a young man seeking to rescue his kidnapped sister, teaming up with a bounty hunter and a quirky group of outcasts. The cast, led by Peter Dinklage, gives solid performances, especially Dinklage, who brings a grizzled charm and intensity to his role. Juliette Lewis also shines in her eccentric supporting part (on par with the performance of Dinklage, or even better).

Visually, the film captures the rough, unforgiving world of the frontier, with a stark and at times beautiful atmosphere. There's a tangible sense of danger and lawlessness, enhanced by a strong score that keeps the tension simmering.

However, despite these positives, The Thicket feels uneven. The pacing drags in places, with long stretches where not much happens. Some of the supporting characters, while entertaining, don't get enough depth to feel fully realized. I found the meeting with some characters rushed too. The plot, which starts strong, becomes somewhat predictable, relying on familiar Western tropes without offering much new to the genre.

Overall, The Thicket has moments of grit and character, but its inconsistent pacing and lack of fresh storytelling prevent it from being more than an average watch. It's worth seeing if you're a fan of the genre or the actors involved, but it doesn't quite leave a lasting impact.