Review: Bone Tomahawk (2015)

Kurt Russell leads a top notch cast in the much buzzed about Bone Tomahawk, all of whom chew scenery with relish in S. Craig Zahler’s absurdly fun directorial debut. The clumsy arrival of a drifter sparks the kidnapping of several townsfolk by savages in the middle of the night. Eager for revenge, the local sheriff (Russell) leads a rescue party with the help of his deputy (Richard Jenkins), a crippled husband (Patrick Wilson) and a cocky killer (Matthew Fox). Effective in its amalgamation of horror and western elements, Bone Tomahawk is largely character-driven, S. Craig Zahler’s script opting for a deliberately measured pace as the mismatched search party venture out into the harsh unknown. It’s here that the characters’ individual personalities come to the fore, whether it’s the deputy’s fondness for meandering chatter or the resoluteness of the husband to find his wife alive, in a way that epitomises the films steady command. The space Zahler awards to his actors draws out impressive performances from all of them, but particular mention must be handed to Wilson and Jenkins, who’s delivery always comes with a laugh. The violence that’s – quite literally – splattered throughout, is brutal but seldom too much, the sounds often more expressive than the visuals. Bone Tomahawk is, therefore, a masterful fusion of components executed to the highest degree.