Released: January 2018
Director: Scott Cooper
Rated R
Run Time: 134 Minutes
Distributor: Lionsgate Studios
Genre: Western/Drama/Adventure
Cast:
Christian Bale: Captain Joseph Blocker
Rosamund Pike: Rosalie Quaid
Wes Studi: Chief Yellow Hawk
Adam Beach: Black Hawk
Jesse Plemons: Lt. Rudy Kidder
Ben Foster: Sgt. Charles Wills
Rory Cochrane: Master Sgt. Thomas Metz
Q’Orianka Kilcher: Elk Woman
Tanaya Beatty: Living Woman
When most people think of the Western film genre, they often think of cowboys and Indians with epic shootouts. While it is true that those ideas are part of Westerns, they don’t actually define the genre, despite what many people think. What defines the genre is often the setting. Most Westerns generally take place during the mid-to-late 19th century throughout the then-unexplored Western Frontier. Yeah, you’ve got these dusty, sleepy old towns, but most people tend to not notice the landscapes and mountain ranges that are just as integral to the genre as those shootouts and encounters with Native Americans. So…what makes a great Western? The elements are no different from those that would make up a great action film or a great drama. You need a great setting in the outdoors, preferably on location so it feels real. You also need a compelling story to go along with the amazing vistas. Most importantly, you need great characters to drive that story. The story and the plot are secondary if the characters are well-written and memorable. This is true for ANY film, but even more so for the Western. There have been many great Westerns over the years with The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Tombstone, The Unforgiven, Silverado, 3:10 To Yuma, and Forsaken. Every once in a while, though, a Western comes out of nowhere and takes you by surprise. No Western has surprised me more than Hostiles.
The film opens on a remote farm that’s come under attack by renegade Cherokee Indians. Slaughtering everyone but Rosalie Quaid, the Indians leave almost nothing in their wake. Some time later, Captain Joseph Blocker has been tasked with rounding up what remains of a group of Apache Indians and takes them back to his fort in New Mexico. Blocker is given another task: Escort the ailing Chief Yellow Hawk and his family to their home in Montana. Blocker is hesitant to do this because he witnessed Yellow Hawk and his men attack and kill his men some years ago. Blocker reluctantly agrees to escort Yellow Hawk, but still believes the ailing chief to be nothing more than a blood-thirsty savage. Blocker and his group come across Rosalie Quaid and together they head to Montana. It isn’t very often that I come across a Western that has a story THIS engaging and emotional. It’s an incredibly well-written story that takes its time to build up the characters and their relationships with each other, although the film focuses mainly on Blocker, Yellow Hawk, and Rosalie. I have to say it: This is one of the most compelling Westerns I’ve seen in a long time.
If you’re expecting something action-packed along the lines of something like Tombstone, you’d best move on. It’s not that kind of Western. This is very much a very internal and introspective film. It’s not something you see very often in a Western, but it is welcome. In my introduction, I mentioned that it is the characters that drive the story, and that’s what this film is about: The characters. They are surprisingly well-written, fleshed out and feel very real. The film focuses on the characters, because it tries to highlight the animosity that existed between white people and Native Americans at the time. One could argue that it still goes on to this very day, and that’s one of the reasons why this film feels so relevant. Initially, you’re not wanting to like Captain Blocker for what he’s doing and what he believes, but as the film progresses, we begin to peel back the layers of what makes this man tick and then we begin to empathize. It’s the same thing with Yellow Hawk. We’re given information that Yellow Hawk may have been responsible for the murders of many of Blocker’s men, but like Blocker, we get to see that there is more to Yellow Hawk than meets the eye. Blocker and Yellow Hawk are essentially two different sides of the same coin. Rosalie is a tragic character in which she witnessed her family get slaughtered so she has a legitimate suspicion of Native Americans regardless of their tribe. Over the course of the film, we get to see that there is more to these people than what we initially see. Blocker truly cares about his men and Rosalie’s welfare, as does Yellow Hawk and his family. During their journey, they form a connection that is heartfelt and powerful.
The acting is some of the strongest I’ve seen this year. Christian Bale gives a gruff, yet very nuanced performance as Blocker, a man who has seen his fair share of violence. This is one of the finest performances from Mr. Bale that I’ve seen in years. He really goes all in with his films. Here, he learned how to speak in a Native American dialect and he’s very fluent. That alone speaks volumes about the man’s dedication to his craft. Rosamund Pike plays a very tragic, yet strong character in Rosalie Quaid. This is an emotional powerhouse of a performance, and I honestly don’t think that any other actress could have pulled it off better than Ms. Pike. The real standout performance here is Wes Studi as Chief Yellow Hawk. A member of the Cherokee Nation himself, Mr. Studi is one of the greatest Native American actors in the industry. He’s been in some of the biggest Westerns ever made including Dances With Wolves. Regardless of what kind of movie he is in, Wes Studi brings an intensity and intelligence to a role the likes of which I rarely see in an actor. His performance in Hostiles is low-key, subtle and yet at the same time, very affecting and powerful. This is a character that has seen as much blood and violence as Blocker. There are other pretty decent performances from the other actors like Ben Foster, but the real stars here are Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, and Wes Studi.
There is action in this film, but it’s not really the fun kind, like you will see in films like Tombstone. No, this is a very realistic film and the violence is treated as such. It can be exciting for sure, but that’s not the purpose of the film. The opening sequence of the film is very hard-hitting and sets the tone for the kind of violence that you will see periodically throughout the film. It doesn’t linger on the carnage for very long, but it definitely will leave an impression on you, making you realize that this was a very dangerous area to be in during the 1890s. You also have to understand that during this period in American history, that the tensions between white folks and the Native Americans were at an all-time high, and for good reason. This is not a film that really takes sides, but rather explores the animosity and the psychologically damaging and lingering effects that war can have on people. It’s something that affects people on all sides of a conflict. In my humble opinion, Hostiles succeeds in this regards and still remains an entertaining Western as well. Oh, I can’t forget the phenomenal cinematography, either. The visuals and the landscapes are some of the most beautiful that I’ve seen in a Western. It really gives you that sense of isolation and bleakness that the film was going for.
There are a couple of little issues here and there that I had with the film. Some of the side-characters are not as fully explored as I hoped they would and there are some pacing issues. Make no mistake about it, this is a slow-burner of a film, but even with those small issues, it had me gripped from beginning to end. With outstanding performances, a powerful story and some really great cinematography, Hostiles is a film that is well worth your time and investment. If you want a film that is more intelligent and deliberate than your average Western, this is one for you. If you’re expecting an epic shoot-out-style film, you won’t find it here.
My Final Recommendation: This is a must-see by fans of the genre. 9.5/10