by Diana Vaccarelli
A film of mixed genres, BONE TOMAHAWK is simultaneously a western, horror film, and a classic love story. What else would you expect from a production that can best be synopsized as, “This film follows four men as they set out to save loved ones who have been captured by Cannibals?”
The Good:
- The best thing about this film is its writing by S. Craig Zahler, whose screenplay was nominated for the Independent Spirit Best Screenplay award.
- The dialogue is fascinating and clever and, most importantly, gets to the heart of each character, making them some of the most interesting characters I’ve seen in recent film. The best of this fine lot – because acting – is Back Up Deputy Chicory, played brilliantly by Richard Jenkins, who steals the show from veteran star Kurt Russell.
- The film not only has dark elements but also laugh out loud humor.
The Bad:
- The gore of the Cannibals was very gruesome. Such visual ugliness (Zahler also directed) is, to me, totally unnecessary since our heroes are so well written that their fates hold our interest, and then some, all the way through. It’s a shame – and a sad commentary on our devolving times – that these days filmmakers feel that the only way to please an audience is to shock it.
Conclusion:
BONE TOMAHAWK is far from perfect, but considering the competition, I think this film deserved a much wider release then it got. Recommended for those who are not too faint of heart!
Diana Vacc is TVWriter™’s Critic-At-Large. Find out more about her HERE