The Thicket

If you haven't already, I highly recommend the original novel. The characters are much more hashed out, there is actual growth and change as the story progresses. The main story line more or less follows the novel, however, there is none of the emotional punch that the book was excellent at delivering. There is little chemistry among the main protagonists.

It all felt very rushed getting slotted into a 100 minute runtime. It has the same feeling of the failed "Dark Tower" film with Idris Elba. The actors gave it their best with a weak screenplay. Given the pull Peter Dinklage has, this should have been a 6-8 episode miniseries on HBO.

Set against the unforgiving backdrop of the Wild West, The Thicket tells the story of a mismatched group of individuals: Reginald Jones, a bounty hunter portrayed by Peter Dinklage; his loyal sidekick Eustace, played by Gbenga Akinnagbe; Jack, who enlists their help to rescue his kidnapped sister (Levon Hawke); Lula, the sister in peril (Esme Creed-Miles); and the menacing outlaw Cut Throat Bill, brought to life by Juliette Lewis.

This film evokes memories of Sergio Corbucci's spaghetti Westerns, yet it opts for a more subdued palette, emphasizing the darker aspects of its narrative and employing somber cinematographic techniques. It is only towards the conclusion that the visuals begin to brighten.

The storyline is populated with nefarious characters and unstable individuals, all too willing to inflict harm on anyone displaying courage or a strong moral compass. Consequently, the innocent siblings endure their share of hardships before they learn to adapt and survive in this brutal, unforgiving environment. Their plight is compounded by the tragic loss of their parents to smallpox and the murder of their grandfather (Guy Sprung) by Bill, which sets off this harrowing journey.

In summary, this film is likely to captivate those in search of a chilling, action-packed thriller that embraces its brutality and mercilessness with a haunting, macabre flair. Enjoy!

The story and plot was easy to become invested in. It has gritty, interesting, and engaging characters. The story is compelling, violent, raw, and unpredictable. The outlaws were very bad, and the good guys felt like real people. There were many very tense and exciting scenes. The scenery and settings were authentic to a turn of the century rustic western era. The character acting was flawless throughout. I also quite enjoyed the music track. Overall, this movie was well written, well made, well acted, engaging, interesting and worthwhile. I can easily recommend it, but, it's not suitable for children.

In bright but dark western "The Thicket" Levon Hawke's sis Esme Creed-Miles is taken by notorious crim Juliette Lewis (so good again) & her gang - so Hawke teams with Peter Dinklage (also great), Gbenga Akinnagbe & Leslie Grace to hunt them down across bleak snowy terrain... while they themselves are hunted by James Hetfield (yes, him) & Macon Blair. Characters, dialogue and the relatively simple plot are all well written by first-timer Chris Kelley (based on Jon R Lansdale's novel) and it's superbly directed in his trademark ethereal yet gritty style by the classy Elliott Lester (who's growing a solid reputation). Terrific fare, especially for western genre fans.

If you like westerns, you got to see it!

Peter Dinklage is amazing in it. Every attempt Dinklage makes to be a Bonafide leading man has never failed! He's shown time and time again that he has the chops, and this movie is no different.

But Juliette Lewis! This was a surprise indeed! Not saying she has not proven herself a good actor as well, but man! She locked down one of the best bad guy performances I ever scene. It's one of those things where the internet is going to need to make a click bait list of most underrated Villains in cinematic history just so they can put Cutthrought Bill on the list persuading the cult status.

Last but not least (well actually...) Jame Hetfeild. I have to admit I'm a big enough fan of Metallica to put in the effort to see this in theatres (which may not have been the cheapest choice considering its a Tubi original film and might be released on the format in a few days for free). Everything I know about Hetfeild is that he took a long time to come out of his shell to try holding some lines in a film, but he does it and does it well enough. It was fun seeing him act.

Surprisingly and oddly unique as a western too taking place in what must of have the very end of the wild west. No dates were given but it is interesting to see cars and bikes in a western. I'm guessing 1910 or 1911.

Anyway, it can drag along some times but overall, it was worth sitting though.