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.

Even though the film features moments of brutal and sadistic violence there is something very charming and fascinating about the film.

Firstly, there is Peter Dinklage's character. Hard boiled mysterious stoic warrior.

Secondly, Juliette Lewis, as outlaw Cutthroat Bill. Lewis can play deranged well, but here she is at another level. Very complex mysterious wreck of a psycho.

Thirdly, there is a young cowboy that reminds me of Keith Carradine's character in "McCabe and Mrs. Miller." Tragically enthusiastic and naïve.

Fourthly, the general production. The sombre tone, winter landscape and striking cinematography.

Fifth, it's always nice to see a little standout character and set piece, somewhat related to the main plot. There was that too with the pimp in a brief bordello scene.

Sixth, the final understated denouement.

Interesting gritty sadness inducing viewing.

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.

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.

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.