The Thicket

In bright but dark western "The Thicket" Levon Hawke's sis Esme Creed-Miles is taken by notorious crim Juliette Lewis (so good again) & her gang - so Hawke teams with Peter Dinklage (also great), Gbenga Akinnagbe & Leslie Grace to hunt them down across bleak snowy terrain... while they themselves are hunted by James Hetfield (yes, him) & Macon Blair. Characters, dialogue and the relatively simple plot are all well written by first-timer Chris Kelley (based on Jon R Lansdale's novel) and it's superbly directed in his trademark ethereal yet gritty style by the classy Elliott Lester (who's growing a solid reputation). Terrific fare, especially for western genre fans.

I stumbled upon The Thicket by sheer luck, at my local hi-fi retailer and immediately after seeing names like Juliette Lewis and Peter Dinklage it caught my attention.

Juliette Lewis has long been one of my favorite actors, her performances in Natural Born Killers, Cape Fear, and Kalifornia have stuck with me for years as some of my favourite films.

So to see her take on a role in a gritty, old-school Western as Cutthroat Bill was an unexpected but welcome treat.

Set in the shadowy outlawed world of early 1900s Texas, The Thicket plunges you into a lawless land where it goes back to vintage western roots and the unknown of life and death which gives the film a brutal, lived-in sense of realism. In this world, moments can happen suddenly and unexpected.

The scenery, from dusty western towns to brooding parlors, is incredibly evocative. The snowy white frosty American outback in the travelling scenes was appealing and enhanced the vision of desolate human struggle, and isolation.

It captures the mood of the Western genre beautifully, without over-romanticizing it. One standout is Hector, played with grim intensity by Andrew Schultz, a villainous parlour keeper and kidnapper of women who gives the story some of its most intense and uneasy moments.

Peter Dinklage, was a witty and hilarious with his delivery of dialogue which greatly enhanced his reputation as someone who can outright lead a film.

One of the biggest surprises was seeing James Hetfield on screen. His rugged presence is immediately recognizable, and as a Metallica fan who's been lucky enough to see them live, it was a bit of an unexpected thrill to spot him from the crowd.

The film offers layers of character depth, especially through Peter Dinklage's haunted bounty hunter, and rough upbringing to Juliette Lewis's wild, almost feral outlaw. Lewis in particular steals every scene, balancing menace and madness with just the right amount of unpredictability and grunt.

That said, not everything hits the mark. Levon Hawke and Esme Creed-Miles bring youthful energy, but the experience is noticeable, they both lack the on-screen charisma needed to anchor a story that demands emotional weight. Their performances feel more like sketches of cliche characters than fully lived-in portraits, and that holds the film back at times.

As The Thicket builds toward its climactic shootout at the isolated cabin, towards the final showdown in the dense brush, things begin to feel a little hollow. The action is there, the stakes are high, but something is missing. Perhaps it's the mythic resonance of carnage in classic Westerns like The Magnificent Seven or The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Maybe that comparison is unfair, but it's hard not to measure this film against those iconic giants.

In the end, The Thicket is a welcome return to old-fashioned storytelling, steeped in mood and moral ambiguity. It doesn't quite leave a lasting impression, but it's a dark, intriguing ride while it lasts, and worth watching for Juliette Lewis alone.

6/10.

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.

I'm a big fan of Westerns and The Thicket was a pleasant surprise in a day and age where Western films are so rare. Like most Westerns, the plot is simple; a bounty hunter is tasked with tracking down the kidnapped sister of his client.

Juliette Lewis is brilliant as the villain, barely recognizable, she gives a heck of a performance here as a layered villain with some decency left in her. She lives as a man, with a male name and if it weren't for the cast listing I'd never think she was a woman.

Peter Dinklage plays the bounty hunter and he's as brilliant as always. He brings 100% to the table in everything he does. During the quest to find the kidnapped girl, lots of things transpire, friendships are formed and survival tactics are put to use. I need to mention the set design here because it's A-level stuff. Beautiful sets, props, cinematography, and costume design.

I need to mention James Hetfield, a pleasant surprise seeing his cameo role in this film. Andrew Shultz, a famous NY comedian also has a cameo role in this film which was so surprising to see. Lots of themes are scattered throughout the film's plot, including the fine line between religion and literature.

The Thicket is available for free streaming on TUBI. Western fans will not be disappointed with this one unless you prefer non-modern Westerns, because this film takes place in the mid 1980s. The movie was shot on location in Calgary Alberta Canada, in the bitter cold, and the billowing cold breaths from the actors really added to the atmosphere.

The story and plot was easy to become invested in. It has gritty, interesting, and engaging characters. The story is compelling, violent, raw, and unpredictable. The outlaws were very bad, and the good guys felt like real people. There were many very tense and exciting scenes. The scenery and settings were authentic to a turn of the century rustic western era. The character acting was flawless throughout. I also quite enjoyed the music track. Overall, this movie was well written, well made, well acted, engaging, interesting and worthwhile. I can easily recommend it, but, it's not suitable for children.