Directed by Jeymes Samuel, The Harder They Fall follows outlaw Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) who reassembles his former gang to seek revenge against another outlaw who has escaped prison, Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), who murdered his parents.
I’ve always had a huge fondness for westerns and it’s great to see a new one come out in an era where they aren’t as common as they used to be. Just like stop motion animated movies, I consider westerns to be a lost art that when made well can give you a wonderful experience. So when I first saw the trailer and what it offered I was immediately hooked. The film has been featured at several film festivals but has finally arrived today on Netflix.
So what did I think of it? I thought it was fucking awesome.
Jeymes Samuel delivers an energetically brutal western with really strong performances, gorgeous looks, and unhinged action. In a way, it felt very much like a Tarantino film in terms of style, especially with how it is directed and edited with such intensity that you can’t help but get sucked into it. At the same time, it also feels like a classic western with its straightforward premise and great entertainment.
A small disclaimer before I talk about the cast and characters: although the film’s story is fictional, its characters are based on real cowboys, lawmen, and outlaws of the 19th-century American West. I’m not all too familiar with some of these figures so if you are someone who is deep into the history of the Wild West chances are there are figures here you may recognize. I can’t really say as to whether they are accurately portrayed, but I assume that given it is a fictional story they take some creative liberties with each of them.
We start off with our heroic lead played by Johnathan Majors who delivers a performance full of great charm and charisma but also delivers dramatic and emotional scenes. Majors has been making a name for himself in the acting world in recent years and continues to do so with this film as he plays a classic western hero that is driven by the simple motive of revenge, but he adds his own spin to the character that makes him stand out. He deserves to have more leading roles in the future because is just so fucking awesome, alongside all the other talented faces in this film.
Zazie Beetz delivers a fiery performance as Mary Fields, sharing great chemistry with Majors as a former lover and standing out as one hell of a badass. We also get great performances from RJ Cyler and Edi Gathegi who offer a lot of comedic levity in this otherwise brutal story.
And then of course there is my ultimate favorite underrated actor Delroy Lindo, who plays badass lawman Bass Reeves. I still consider his role from Da 5 Bloods to be his best work but he does bring his A-game to this supporting role as one lawman that no one should dare try to mess with.
And then we have our villains who are immediately shown to be cold and ruthless, each in their own way. You have Lakeith Stanfield as the quick drawing Cherokee Bill who really manages to terrify you with how deadly he is with any weapon and how he likes to play games with his victims, though he sometimes offers them a way out.
Regina King brings Samuel L. Jackson levels of intensity as Trudy Smith with cold dead eyes and a vicious attitude that you don’t want to meet face first.
And then there is the head of the gang Rufus Buck played by Idris Elba who once again delivers a strong villain role. From the very moment he steps on screen you can already tell he is a dangerous man capable of anything whether it be physical violence or mental manipulation. Elba is a perfect opponent for Majors’ hero and these two onscreen deliver incredible work.
As I mentioned before the premise is straightforward, a classic western revenge story. There are elements present that we have seen in other films but it still manages to be entertaining and engaging, mostly because of the performances, style of directing, and then the action. This film comes pretty close to being Django Unchained levels of bloody and over-the-top action that relentlessly hits hard. From the first two opening scenes we see how brutal the film is going to be and the tension between all these characters who are willing to kill without hesitation. This is a revenge story that goes for blood and goes for it with style.
The film is beautifully well made, featuring stellar cinematography and editing that is full of modern energy but also has the looks of an old-style western, especially with the practical sets and locations. There’s also a lot of fantastic practical effects that add to the gritty elements of this film, making the action hit harder in certain places. Also, this film has damn great music with both a great score and soundtrack that kicks ass and matches the tone this film is going for.
This western is absolutely worth watching for all that it has to offer, whether you are a fan of westerns or not. This film should not be slept on. I’m going to give The Harder They Fall an A.
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