Kurt Russell Shines in ‘Bone Tomahawk’: A Gritty, Character-Driven Western Horror!
I’m a sucker for Kurt Russell and director S. Craig Zahler (Brawl in Cellblock 99, Dragged Across Concrete) has the chops to pull off an entertaining, thoughtful, and character driven film with Bone Tomahawk which delivers stylish violence all in a setting of the old west.
Taking home numerous festival awards and nominated for many more it’s easy to see the appeal here. We get a horror setting in a western backdrop. Bone Tomahawk takes its time in the beginning to build character development.
It weaves a tale of a small town and its inhabitants that are laid under siege by a group of underground Indian-like dwellers referred to as Troglodytes. The cave dwellers kill some townsfolk and kidnap female doctor Samantha O’Dwyer played by Lili Simmons (Southern Gothic).
A drifter named Purvis, played by David Arquette (Scream), lured in the tribe of hellbent cannibal killers to the town when he and his accomplice Buddy, played by the late great Sid Haig (The Devils Rejects), killed a bunch of people around the tribe’s sacred burial ground. Sheriff Hunt is played by Kurt Russell (Escape From New York, Big Trouble in Little China) in a wonderfully level-headed and gritty role captures Purvis, injures him, and throws him in the local jail.
Sheriff Hunt summons the town doctor, but he is drunk so the next best thing is female doctor O’Dwyer. Doctor O’Dwyer’s husband is a rancher named Arthur, played by Patrick Wilson (The Conjuring), who is currently nursing a serious incapacitating leg injury. Mrs. O’Dwyer sees to the injury of Purvis at the jail but is abducted by the Troglodytes who want revenge on Purvis while the others are collateral damage.
A rescue mission is quickly thrown together with Sheriff Hunt, his other aging deputy Chicory, played brilliantly by Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water), and a local hotshot named Brooder, played by Matthew Fox (Lost). Mrs. O’Dwyer’s husband Arthur insists he come along despite his leg injury.
Arthur’s obviously struggles to keep up with the group but its mentioned constantly in the film how Mr. O’Dwyer is a determined man, and we see what they mean by this statement as the movie progresses on. This proves even more true to form when the groups horses are stolen.
Bone Tomahawk manages to capture an ambience of the old west but still maintains a modern time sensibility about it. The characters and dialogue are the driving force of its nature along with its unpredictable plot twists and shocking yet stylish violence. Probably the most gruesome scene being where a man is savagely scalped alive and cleaved completely in half between his legs as he is held upside down.
Richard Jenkins as the old timer deputy Chicory is very likeable in his role and has some great quirky dialogue. Kurt Russell as the rough sheriff is perfect — that role was made for him. Bone Tomahawk is a memorable and engaging film that comes highly recommended. It’s entertaining, with great performances, dialogue, and a stylish grittiness to boot.
AKA: Tomahawk: Gunmen vs. Cannibal Tribe
Directed by: S. Craig Zahler
Written by: S. Craig Zahler
Produced by: Jack Heller, Dallas Sonnier, Amanda Mortlock, Gregory Zuk
Cinematography by: Benji Bakshi
Editing by: Greg D’Auria, Fred Raskin
Music by: Jeff Herriott, S. Craig Zahler
Special Effects by: Platinum Platypus
Cast: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, Lili Simmons, Evan Jonigkeit, David Arquette, Sid Haig
Year: 2015
Country: USA
Language: English
Colour: Colour
Runtime: 2h 12min
Studio: Caliber Media Company
Distributor: RLJ Entertainment
