Hostiles is a new Western style movie starring Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike. It's getting a fair amount of buzz, and my guess is that it'll be among next years awards season nominees.
Army Captain Joe Blocker (Bale) is coming to the end of his time in the Army. Having served through the Civil War, and extensively in American efforts against the Indians, he's seen more than his share of killing and lost more than his share of men. American attitudes towards the Indians are changing, and for his last mission, Joe is ordered to escort an ailing elder Cheyenne chief and former enemy from captivity back to his native lands in Montana. Along the way, Joe and his escort party come upon Rosalie Quaid (Pike), in the aftermath of horrific tragedy at the hands of a band of natives. Rosalie joins the group, and they make their way across the country. Along the way, they face the dangers of the West, from whites and Indians, civilians and soldiers alike. As they near the end of their journey, Joe must face his past enemies, his own actions, and decide what kind of man he will be once he leaves the Army.
Hostiles is pretty standard Western fare, but it's really well done. There aren't really any big twists or turns along the way, but the story is told well, the acting is good, and the characters develop nicely. Like many recent Westerns, Hostiles isn't shy about delivering a brutal look at life in the expanding West. There's a lot of violence, and while it's not gory, it is graphic. The movie wrestles with issues like a man's personal responsibility for his actions, the treatment of Native Americans by the American government, and the the ways in which people deal with the traumas associated with constant war and violence.
The scenery is frequently beautiful, although I wouldn't necessarily say that this film stands out for its visuals in particular. As I said the narrative moves well and the acting is very good. It's not a fast paced action movie, and some viewers may feel like it moves slowly, but I felt like the pace was good. Maybe just a matter of managing expectations.
There's no explicit sex, although there is the implication of rape. There's some foul language, and a lot of violence, including violence against women and children.
Overall, I thought the film was very good, and will fit nicely into the collection of anyone who likes well made Westerns.
Slowguy
(insert pithy phrase here...)
Army Captain Joe Blocker (Bale) is coming to the end of his time in the Army. Having served through the Civil War, and extensively in American efforts against the Indians, he's seen more than his share of killing and lost more than his share of men. American attitudes towards the Indians are changing, and for his last mission, Joe is ordered to escort an ailing elder Cheyenne chief and former enemy from captivity back to his native lands in Montana. Along the way, Joe and his escort party come upon Rosalie Quaid (Pike), in the aftermath of horrific tragedy at the hands of a band of natives. Rosalie joins the group, and they make their way across the country. Along the way, they face the dangers of the West, from whites and Indians, civilians and soldiers alike. As they near the end of their journey, Joe must face his past enemies, his own actions, and decide what kind of man he will be once he leaves the Army.
Hostiles is pretty standard Western fare, but it's really well done. There aren't really any big twists or turns along the way, but the story is told well, the acting is good, and the characters develop nicely. Like many recent Westerns, Hostiles isn't shy about delivering a brutal look at life in the expanding West. There's a lot of violence, and while it's not gory, it is graphic. The movie wrestles with issues like a man's personal responsibility for his actions, the treatment of Native Americans by the American government, and the the ways in which people deal with the traumas associated with constant war and violence.
The scenery is frequently beautiful, although I wouldn't necessarily say that this film stands out for its visuals in particular. As I said the narrative moves well and the acting is very good. It's not a fast paced action movie, and some viewers may feel like it moves slowly, but I felt like the pace was good. Maybe just a matter of managing expectations.
There's no explicit sex, although there is the implication of rape. There's some foul language, and a lot of violence, including violence against women and children.
Overall, I thought the film was very good, and will fit nicely into the collection of anyone who likes well made Westerns.
Slowguy
(insert pithy phrase here...)