New To Blu: Bone Tomahawk

Kurt Russell takes a page from his Tombstone playbook for the most excellent Bone Tomahawk.

"No, Matthew. We can't go back
to the island."

Every once in a while a movie comes along that seamlessly bridges the gap between multiple genres. Bone Tomahawk is this year's best example of hybrid movie making at its finest. Crossing classic western tropes with a cannibalistic horror style that Eli Roth could only dream of, this makes The Green Inferno look like family fun night. 

As a first time entry from director S, Craig Zahler it's straight up hard to believe he's never done this before. Somehow, he finds a perfect balance between The Hills Have Eyes and the age old desert wandering plot devices of the western era, making a taut edge of your seat blood spattering adventure led by Kurt Russell and an almost unrecognizable Richard Jenkins doing Oscar caliber work. Why on Earth this thing isn't blowing up the cinemas right now is beyond me. Bone Tomahawk is hands down one of the best features of 2015 and a resolute return to form for Russell making large strides towards his revitalized acting career. 

Hinging on proper, polite dialect and the curdling cries of cave dwelling cannibals, Bone Tomahawk rests on a masterfully crafted script, amazing performances across the board, and some of the most hardcore acts of violence we've seen in years. Arrows puncture skin. Bullets tear men apart. Tomahawks split body parts in half. Evisceration covers the ground in gore. And one of the most vile acts ever committed on screen makes this a strange and wild journey that's different from any western I've ever seen. Centered on primal carnage and unbelievably authentic looking special effects, Bone Tomahawk makes that one hardcore kill in Roth's cannibal flick look like child's play. With a cast that features Russell, Jenkins, Matthew Fox, and Patrick Wilson in decidedly different lead roles, it's not just shocking. It's hard to keep your eyes on the screen while the brutality unravels in such a realistic and stunning way. 

"Cripes! What kind of movie is this?
Kids, cover your eyes!"

Realizing that this will go unnoticed by most horror fans and western fans alike is majorly disappointing. This is like the perfect super power team up of the two genres backed by a dream cast that chews scenery and spits it out repeatedly. Being that I've always been an avid follower of both types of movies, Bone Tomahawk is one man's realization that they can exist together in harmony, excelling each to the outer boundaries of creative endurance. Using period perfect costume design, old west dialogue, and moments of sheer tension, Zahler's work here is nearly impeccable. With only a few spots of poor pacing and a few unused character actors like Michael Pare and David Arquette disappearing too soon, this will go down as one of my favorites of 2015.

If you're a fan of westerns or horror, you have no reason to put off seeing this movie. This is the best of both worlds. You will find something to like about Bone Tomahawk. The environments are familiar. The characters are right at home. And their journey will satiate your need for those gritty, old school flicks about saving the damsel in distress. What ends up setting it apart is the horrific underlying story of monstrous cannibals and their disgusting taste for human flesh. Bone Tomahawk steps up to the plate and knocks it home with a gut slashing bastard of an adventure. 

Score


-CG

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