Bone Tomahawk

You know how sometimes you pick a movie just to have something on in the background, and then you end up glued to the screen? That was my experience with Bone Tomahawk. On paper, it sounds like a pretty simple Western: a small-town sheriff sets out with a ragtag posse to rescue some kidnapped townsfolk. But what you get is this slow-burn, genre-mashing fever dream that manages to be both a loving homage to classic Westerns and a total gut-punch of horror.

Kurt Russell is the heart and mustache of this film, playing Sheriff Hunt with that laid-back authority he brings to pretty much everything. He doesn't chew the scenery or ham things up, which works because the movie itself is so restrained most of the time. The rest of the group—Richard Jenkins, Patrick Wilson, and Matthew Fox—each offer something distinct. Jenkins especially is almost unrecognizable as the aging deputy, bringing this gentle, forgetful warmth to the role that makes some of the grim moments hit harder.

The first hour is noticeably patient. Some people might call it slow, but for me it was more like simmering tension. S. Craig Zahler lets the characters breathe and talk like real people instead of plot devices. There are scenes where guys just sit around a campfire, bickering about the meaning of words or swapping old war stories. It gives the journey some weight because you actually believe in these tired, flawed men, not just the mission they're on.

Cinematography stands out in a really stripped-down way. There's nothing flashy going on, which feels true to the setting. Wide desert shots, dying campfires, dust motes catching the morning light—that sort of thing. The movie leans into the gritty reality without trying to look too pretty or stylized. It reminded me of some of John Ford’s classic Western landscapes, but with this focus on rawness rather than grandeur.

I have to talk about the tone shift, because Bone Tomahawk is notorious for it. For almost ninety minutes, it's a moody but straightforward Western. Then out of nowhere, it takes a hard detour into pure horror. When it happens, it’s shocking and honestly a little nauseating. There’s one scene in particular that goes so far it’s almost cruel, and I’m still surprised I didn’t look away. That might sound like a criticism, but the violence here isn’t done cheaply—it’s earned by the slow build and the desperation the characters are feeling.

That said, I’m not sure everyone will appreciate how brutal things get in the last act. Zahler doesn’t pull his punches, and if you’re squeamish about gore, this is a rough watch. But honestly, the cruelty is the point. The film wants to unsettle you, to make you question the myth of the frontier hero in a place where the wilderness is actually terrifying. It’s bold, but not exactly fun.

Story-wise, some people will find the setup a little thin. The central quest is basic: ride out, rescue the captives, bring 'em home. What keeps it engaging isn’t so much the what, but the how—every pit stop reveals something new about the characters, their simmering prejudices, regrets, and hopes. The payoff is that it makes the outcomes, good or bad, stick with you long after the credits roll.

For me, Bone Tomahawk hits this rare spot between throwback Western and unflinching horror. I have some gripes about the pacing—certain scenes feel like they linger just a bit too long, and the ending could have trimmed a couple minutes. But man, if you’re looking for something that sticks in your teeth and doesn’t let go, this one is it. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.