The Unholy Trinity

I was a bit hesitant to watch the movie considering how all movies these days are going. The scenery was a bit dark as most things shot on digital are nowadays. But I was happy to see a plot that was decent. It didn't have the lame themes that movies are wearing out these days. A few plot twists. Not a hundred percent predictable. I liked that about it. I finally decided to watch it when I saw Pierce Brosnan and Samuel Jackson was in it. I wasn't disappointed. Definitely worth watching. I was surprised to see Tim Daly and Arquette in the movie as well. Although having a star studded cast doesn't guarantee for a great movie (especially these days), I am far more likely to watch a movie that has a lot of stars in it. It was one of the best westerns I've seen in a long time.

I normally don't watch movies like this, but the opening scene led me to expect more from the narrative. It's an okay story with elements of western movies from days past.

The action was decent, though most of the cast isn't memorable. Maybe I'm alone in feeling this way however many characters lacked development or seemed flat. I personally don't care for the main character, he's too bland for my taste.

Despite the movie's shortcomings I still appreciate an attempt to do something "new". It's a short movie and that's perfectly fine. The fact they didn't pad it into 2hrs or more is great, because brevity works here. This isn't a must see in my book but a fun watch nonetheless. It had a few funny moments.

Old-school West meets new-school star power... The Unholy Trinity brings Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson to Montana circa 1870s for a revenge tale that aims high but rarely lands squarely. Go in without high expectations and you won't be disappointed!

Samuel L. Jackson is predictably magnetic as St. Christopher, the sly outsider with murky motives - he steals nearly every scene. Brosnan grounds the film with quiet gravitas as Sheriff Gabriel Dove, the moral centre in a world unraveling. Both performances elevate what might've otherwise been a dusty B-movie.

Brandon Lessard plays the lead Henry Broadway, the young man sent to avenge his father's framed death. He's earnest, but overshadowed - the spotlight always drifts back to Jackson's smile or Brosnan's brogue. Q'orianka Kilcher shines as Running Cub, a Native woman spurned by town politics, though her arc barely escapes tokenism.

Richard Gray's direction favours slow-burning atmosphere over big shoot-outs: bleak plains, candlelit saloons, stiff jawlines. It's moody and visually consistent, though the pace sometimes drags through predictable betrayals and subplots (treasure hunts, double-crosses, lynch mobs) without surprising enough.

The screenplay reaches for moral ambiguity and revenge cycles, but gets tangled. Several threads feel underexplored. Yet, at a brisk 93 minutes it rarely overstays its welcome.

Verdict: A serviceable, occasionally stirring Western saved by star charisma and tone. Not a classic, but for lovers of traditional oaters, it's decent enough cinema. 6.5/10.

I enjoyed the movie. The cast is fantastic, featuring Brandon Lessard, Samuel L. Jackson, Pierce Brosnan, and Veronica Ferres. The plot follows a classic Western theme where a son seeks revenge for his father's hanging by a corrupt sheriff. However, it includes some intriguing twists and well-rounded characters. There's no clear-cut villain; everyone has their own justified motives. I particularly liked the character development of young Henry Broadway (Brandon Lessard), who is innocently drawn into the adventure and faces constant moral dilemmas. Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal of the dubious St. Christopher is also a standout.

The film's setting in Montana is stunning, with innovative camerawork in the fight scenes. It has some humorous moments and isn't overly violent. While the story has minor plot holes and some characters develop (too) quickly and make irrational choices, these don't detract significantly from the overall experience. Some critics mentioned the varied "dialects" due to the international cast, but the movie explains each character's background well enough. Considering the diverse immigrant population in the 1870s West, this aspect feels authentic and isn't a dealbreaker.

While Westerns is not my go-to type of genre for entertainment in movies, I do occasionally sit down to watch one. And stumbling upon the 2024 Western and seeing who starred in it, of course I opted to check out what director Richard Gray had to offer.

The storyline in the movie was good, and I was genuinely entertained throughout the course of the 94 minutes that the movie ran for. Writer Lee Zachariah put together an enjoyable and entertaining script and storyline.

The acting performances in "The Unholy Trinity" were good, but of course with the likes of Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson on the cast list, then you're in good company. There are a couple other familiar faces on the cast list as well, such as David Arquette, Gianni Capaldi and Katrina Bowden.

The movie definitely looked and felt like a proper era-based Western movie, and that certainly added to the overall enjoyment of the movie.

I will say that "The Unholy Trinity" is a movie that is well-worth watching, especially if you enjoy Westerns in general.

My rating of director Richard Gray's 2024 movie "The Unholy Trinity" lands on a six out of ten stars.