Rastro de Maldade

Bone Tomahawk is about a small group of cowboys who set out in search of a group of cannibals who have kidnapped some of their townspeople, including the wife of one of the rough riders. It may sound similar to a lot of other westerns in the sense that it's a rescue story, which is somewhat true in the beginning. The first half of the movie is a great character drama as it follows the group of four for a few day and nights as they travel to their destination. This is where some people might have a problem with the film and the pacing might become an issue. During this time, we get expanded knowledge about the men involved and I found it rather entertaining because the route to their destination is just as dangerous as the destination itself. Yes, the movie could have been trimmed down by about 10-12 minutes, but it wasn't too slow that I lost interest (like many others I have read did).

It is during this time where acting comes into play and, for the most part, it's all on point, especially Kurt Russell! To no surprise, he is the highlight of the movie and is no one to be trifled with. He gives a very gritty and convincing performance worthy of his filmography. As well as the three other gentlemen that ride along with him, they all hit their marks (even my boy Matthew Fox from LOST).

The only real problem outside of the pacing is Lili Simmons' awkwardly dull performance (mostly during her captivity). Normally I wouldn't point out such a small characters performance but it was seriously lacking. It could be because her character was poorly written for the type of situation she was in. For example, why was she so relaxed and showing barely any emotion in such a frightening situation? Yes she could have broken down mentally but that doesn't let her off the hook. Also her line delivery was highly questionable and her overall performance felt like dead weight.

But it is the final 45 minutes of the movie that will leave everyone talking. Bone Tomahawk explodes into the horror genre with its cannibalistic violence (is this the return of cannibalistic horror movies?). The action is swift, and I mean very swift, it really comes out of nowhere. And this was what I loved most about the movie, you know they are getting closer and closer to unprecedented evil but you aren't quite sure when or where they will strike. It's this trepidation that makes the final third of the movie so thrilling. They're clearly unprepared for the gauntlet that is waiting for them. I won't spoil anything but the movie really doesn't shy away from violence once they get to where they are going. Bone Tomahawk transcends from a slow moving western into a carnage fueled frenzy.

Bone Tomahawk is a 2015 western-horror written and directed by S. Craig Zahler and starring Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox and Richard Jenkins.

The story follows four men, the town's sheriff (Russell), a cowboy (Wilson), the back-up deputy (Jenkins) and a gunslinger (Fox) who go on an expedition to retrieve a group of captives from some cannibalistic cave-dwellers. The four actors really shine in this movie, giving very good performances, especially Matthew Fox as John Brooder. It's good to see Fox in such a good role, considering he hasn't done that much since the Lost years.

The movie gives us a very good look at the Old West. As the four men make their journey, we learn more and more about them and their motivations. Sheriff Franklin Hunt is a man who wants nothing more than the safety of his town and is willing to do anything to protect it. Arthur O'Dwyer is a cowboy who has a serious leg injury but still goes into this expedition, because for him the stakes are personal. Chicory is a simple-minded old deputy but with amazing loyalty for the sheriff. John Brooder is a well-dressed well- mannered gentleman who joins the ride because he is a trigger-happy gunslinger with a personal vendetta against the natives.

The script is very well-written, giving us full tri-dimensional characters. Also the dialogue and the mannerisms feel very authentic, transporting you back to the Old West. As I said in the beginning, this movie is a horror-western, and that really shows in the third act. There are some brutal, gore-scenes that will not be easy to digest (no pun intended) for those faint of heart. One slight negative about this movie is the pacing. Sometimes it feels a little too slow, but not enough so that it will ruin your enjoyment.

Bone Tomahawk is a very good movie, with an interesting premise and a nice twist on the western genre. It's a movie that could have gone wrong in so many ways, but surprisingly, it doesn't. Sporting some great characters and an intriguing storyline, Bone Tomahawk deserves an 8 out of 10!

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.

An impressive directorial debut from writer S. Craig Zahler, who also wrote this gruesome, filthy western of how wild the west can really get. More so impressive that the whole film was shot in just 21 days.

An outlaw drifter wanders into the town of Bright Hope unknowingly leading a tribe of savage, inbred, natives better known as Troglodytes which translates as Cave-dweller." During the night, these horrific abominations murder and kidnap some of the town folk, one being the wife of a crippled rancher, who then embarks on a rescue mission with the town sheriff, his old and incapable deputy and an over confident gunslinger.

Kurt Russell heads up the rescue posse as Sheriff Hunt, slipping comfortably into his western boots. Richard Jenkins plays his ageing deputy, Patrick Wilson the limping, desperate rancher and an impressive Matthew Fox who stole the screen, as the charismatic, narcissistic know-it- all who both annoying yet strangely likable, reminding me a little of Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday in Tombstone.

There's an air of mystery for the majority of the film, keeping the audience on tender hooks waiting to see what's in store for the rescue party. Are the kidnapped still alive? Dead? Or worse? While some elements are left to your imagination, you can only think of the worse, but what isn't, is nothing short of disturbing.

The gory violence is shocking to watch, even just hearing the graphic noises is enough. The sound is gruesome, bloody and unsettling. The climatic end was actually painful to watch, scarring the memory making me shudder just at the thought of it. The lack of a score only intensifies the haunting atmosphere.

Something has to be said for the special effects, make-up and the sound engineering that were all completely on point. I've never seen a more gory western, even more so than The Hateful Eight. The makeup and effects throughout are amazing but they really go beyond during the epic climax.

There's been a few disturbing films this year, visually, Neon Demon and imagination wise, Nocturnal Animals springing to mind but this one really made me wrench covering my mouth with both hands. It's like those good horrors you're too scared to watch but find yourself mesmerised to the screen regardless. This is certainly not one for the weak stomached. Kudos to director Zahler for created a stunning western with a difference, becoming borderline horror.

Running Time: 7 The Cast: 9 Performance: 8 Direction: 8 Story: 9 Script: 7 Creativity: 9 Soundtrack: 9 Job Description: 10 The Extra Bonus Points: 10 for the sound and graphic quality.

86% 9/10

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.