Bone Tomahawk

I watched this film very tired the other night and found myself sitting up alert immediately !

Pleasantly surprised I found it an entertaining macabre mystery thriller horror with outstanding performances by a quality ensemble of veteran actors working with good dialogue from a competent script.

Normally expect relative unknowns to do this type of film and end up with a B-Movie type of re-working of 'Hills with Eyes', but instead of the atomic bomb test in-bread cannibalistic mutants we are dealing with North American cannibalistic Indian savage troglodytes,

That somehow have avoided being massacred by the U.S Union Calvary Army and take revenge on some trespassers on their Indian burial ground and follow one back to a small town, end up killing and kidnapping some locals including a young woman whose husband, town sheriff, deputy and local gun slinger go in hot pursuit.

There is some elements from Ravenous 2001, Japanese horror film 'The Audition' with hints of blinding and limb amputations. A quality low budget movie with top notch acting from a first time director who wrote the script.

Purvis (David Arquette) and Buddy (Sid Haig) are bandits killing and robbing in the old west. They stumble upon a native site and Buddy is killed by a warrior. Purvis escapes to the town of Bright Hope. Sheriff Franklin Hunt (Kurt Russell) confronts and wounds him. The town is attacked in the dead of night and people go missing. The locals suspect a clan of cannibalistic native cave-dwellers. Hunt leads John Brooder (Matthew Fox), hobbled Arthur O'Dwyer (Patrick Wilson) looking for his taken wife Samantha (Lili Simmons), and deputy Chicory (Richard Jenkins) as a posse of four.

The start is a very intriguing horror western. Then it turns into a slower paced affair. The intensity is lowered but it maintains the interest. The characters are good played by compelling actors. There are some brutal violence although sometimes the camera cuts before the coup de gras. With some of the crazy violence, it's weird that the film does the old fashion look-away. The last act is unforgettable.

I expected some sort of comedy-horror/western hybrid, but what I mostly got was a serious western with noticeable horror touches thrown in (until its third act, where the horror becomes even more prominent). I was surprised at how seriously the film took itself, which I now think is a strength. It could have been so easy to just make it yet another goofy horror/comedy, but what we got instead is a very restrained, very well-made, sort of classic adventure story. The directing is on point and there's a great control over the tone of the film. The decision to have so much of the film silent and without any noticeable score was a great decision. The cast is aces and the three real supporting players (Fox, Russell, Jenkins) all get their time to shine without anything being forced.

In the old American West, a bandit unwittingly leads a troupe of cave-dwelling cannibals to the town of Bright Hope. There, the troglodytes wreak havoc and kidnap a woman. A rescue party is quickly formed, consisting of Bright Hope's aging Sheriff, his aged Deputy, a cocky gunslinger and the kidnappee's husband. Warned of the savages' infamous reputation- and having to contend with the husband's broken leg- the four set out; though their journey proves to be far more dangerous than anyone expected.

Written and directed by S. Craig Zahler, 'Bone Tomahawk' is a brilliant, bloody film that you'd be hard pressed to forget. The story is presented in a typical western style, though is completely original in terms of content and tone. Part-western, part-horror, Zahler's screenplay is full of pulpy, Tarantinoesque dialogue and his characterization is rich. He successfully balances moments of tense violence, introspective quietude and humor in a way that reminds one of Takeshi Kitano. At times playing like a bizarre mixture of 'The Searchers' and 'The Hills Have Eyes,' 'Bone Tomahawk' has a lot to offer.

Lovely visuals, for one. Cinematographer Benji Bakshi's work is assured and epic in scale. Utilizing a variety of wide-angled lenses, he captures the grandeur of the American landscape in a way evocative of John Ford. In moments of action, Bakshi's intuitive Steadicam operation ensures the violence hits as heavy as possible. Additionally, Freddy Naff's production design is highly detailed and textured, lending locations a feeling of authenticity. The striking work of costume designer Chantal Filson also doesn't go unnoticed, contributing greatly to the film's overall visual aesthetic.

In addition to its lush visuals, 'Bone Tomahawk' boasts a fine score from Zahler and Jeff Harriott that is atmospheric and- at times- deeply unsettling. The tracks 'In The Defile' and 'Dragged Along A Course Road' are particularly memorable, and used to great effect, bolstering the ominousness of the villains of the piece. The work of Greg D'Auria and Fred Raskin must also be mentioned, as their tight editing keeps the film from dragging- quite a feat, considering the run time of 132 minutes.

'Bone Tomahawk' finds Kurt Russell headlining as Sherriff Franklin Hunt. Always a commanding presence on screen, Russell plays Hunt as a straightforward fellow wearily dedicated to seeing justice done; a kind of bitter Gary Cooper. Russell shows a great subtlety of style, giving a multifaceted performance that ranks alongside his best. Patrick Wilson co-stars as the husband of the kidnapped woman, the 'straight man' of the bunch, if you will. Though less colorful, Wilson makes the chap engaging, and he has our sympathies throughout.

Matthew Fox plays the gunslinger Brooder- a slick chap fond of blowing his own trumpet- and is marvelous; clearly reveling in the chance to play such a cad. Alongside them, Richard Jenkins delivers a masterclass in comedic acting as Deputy Chicory, all but stealing the film with his good-natured buffoonery. Jenkins, in his inimitable, understated way, makes the character well-rounded and engaging- lending credo to the notion that he is one of his generation's most underappreciated actors.

To cut a long story short, 'Bone Tomahawk' will have you gripped from start to finish. S. Craig Zahler's screenplay is full of unexpected moments, his characterization is strong and his direction is deft. With alluring cinematography and a fine score- as well as commendable performances from all in the cast- this is one you don't want to miss. As a western and as a horror, 'Bone Tomahawk' is frighteningly good.

In 2015 where we are used to seeing none stop CGI, thin plot, endless action trash...here we have the opposite, a real movie gem. It's a classically crafted western that ended up as a brutal cannibal masterpiece.

At first it does make the audience feel that theirs not much happening compared to general modern cinema but what we do have is quality acting, cinematography and script building up to the shocking and unpredictable end

I can't recommend this enough, unlike most films of today it's not made for profit it's made for quality film making, something which I fear today is few and far between

Go watch it