In life, there are injustices. From the Hollywood blacklist to that
time my sister deliberately waited until my own birthday to give
birth to my nephew (and I'm supposed to be grateful that I get to
share it with him!), sometimes things come along and laugh in your
face. The same fate can be thrown at a film, as many great pieces of
entertainment arrive and leave with all the impact of North Korean
peace talks. Well, allow me
to redress the balance and celebrate those films which deserve more
attention than they've had.
The
Unsungs #2
We're closing in on 15 years since the Saw franchise
began, bringing with it an era of horror that basically said “Here's
some gross stuff. Shove logical storytelling up your arse.” It was
a bleak period for horror fans as we were left with very little other
than cheap shock tactics and a heap of the red stuff. It wasn't just
about the absence of true fear. There was so little to get invested
in. It was all just a bit too...
So the idea of a horror western which once again explores all the
disgusting things that can be done to the human body didn't exactly
decorate me in anticipation. Throw in the fact that director S. Craig
Zahler's past lies in making the sort of music that makes
grandmothers weep and there was a whiff of the Rob Zombies about the
place. I love Rob Zombie. I've seen him live many times. His films
can do one.
Anyway, feel free to shoot me down for casting the sort of
generalised assumptions that could turn me into the aftermath of
Boris Johnson getting jiggy with an Oompa-Loompa...
(I found that after I wrote the joke)
...for I was very much in the wrong
to assume that all purveyors of loud noise would make for bad filmmakers.
This film is an absolute belter, provided you can stomach it.
The key to the film's success is that it very much prioritises its
story and characters, working the grotty bits around it. Kurt Russell, Richard Jenkins, Matthew Fox and
Patrick Wilson serve as the four men taking a joyful little romp into
inadvisable territory. Their mission: rescue some of the locals from
the hillside cannibals that plan to make them the centrepiece of
their wholesome Sunday dinner.
All four of the leads have their distinct personalities, clear
reasons for taking on the delightful task at their feet and
motivations towards each other. This couples itself with dialogue
that's razor-sharp with both wit and drama to create a four-way
dynamic that's worth the price of admission alone (or the time it
takes for you godless bastards to torrent it).
Whether you'll
accept the violence depends on your own tolerance for that sort of thing. If
you're a gore-hound, prepare to have your bloodlust satisfied. The
film has a slightly canny way to it, opening with some pretty grim
violence, but ensuring that it saves the best (worst?) for last
meaning you'll always have something nastier to get through. It's not
just the sights, but the pinpoint sound that makes for some truly
disgusting scenes. If you're of a squeamish nature...
But as far as I'm concerned,
sometimes cinema needs to be nasty. It needs to ruffle some feathers
and offer those of a slightly depraved mind some respite from an
industry that increasingly fears the 18 certificate. Bone
Tomahawk is a nasty little film.
And I love it for it.
NINE out of 10
