Bone Tomahawk (2015)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2015
	Director: S. Craig Zahler
	Actors: Kurt Russell (Deathproof), Patrick Wilson (Watchmen), Matthew Fox (Lost TV-series), Richard Jenkins (The Cabin in the Woods)
	Country: USA
	Genre: Western, Horror, Drama
	Conditions of visioning: 28.01.2016, Cinema espace du LAC, GIFFF2016, Official Selection
Synopsis: Four men set out in the Wild West to rescue a group of captives from cannibalistic cave dwellers. Among them is the wife (Simmons) of cowboy Arthur (Wilson).
Review: How nice is it to not go to work for a couple of days, and instead wake up in a small town in the French Vosges to go have for breakfast a bloody Western with Kurt Russell and Patrick Wilson. A perfect way to start a good Fantastic Festival day! The movie is indeed presented in a Fantastic film festival, but for me it is a pure Western only ornamented with some fantastic (horrific) elements towards the end when we get to meet the cave dwellers. The "cannibalistic" part around which the movie is sold is in fact small, while most of the movie is spent following the four men facing challenges along the difficult road. I liked the way the characters are introduced rather slowly, leaving us time to like them so that any tragic event or disappearance affects us more. This relationship to the audience was very well done I found, and with the quasi-absence of music. The four main actor are all excellent in their different ways and I am looking forward to see Kurt Russell soon in Tarantino's The Hateful 8, in a role apparently similar but hopefully played differently by this great actor. Those four are moreover supported by the apparitions of Sean Young (Blade Runner), Sig Haig (The Devil's Rejects), David Arquette (Scream, Eight Legged Freaks) and a lovely Lili Simmons. I am having a hard time thinking about a good recent Western I would have seen since the remake of True Grit that was supposed to revive the genre, but apart from a few elements in Cowboys vs. Aliens and Tarantino's Django Unchained (not a pure Western), none come to mind and Bone Tomahawk is a very welcome addition to the current cinematographic landscape. I was recommended The Salvation by Kristian Levring and with Mads Mikkelsen, and my co-blogger review confirms that I should watch it soon. At any rate an excellent first movie for S. Craig Zahler.
Rating: 8 /10