"Deep in the west, kick over any rock and a desperado'll crawl out and knife you in the heart."
-Silas Selleck, Slow West (2015)
Westerns are definitely making a comeback. Between Tarantino's last couple films and the latest reimagining of movies like True Grit (2010), The Magnificent 7 (2016), and HBO's Westworld (2016); the cavalry is at full charge. As with most resurgence, they tent to attract A-list talent. Already we've seen the likes of Jamie Foxx, Leonardo Dicaprio, and even Sir Anthony Hopkins get involved. But sometimes when the deluge starts, gems tend to slip through the cracks.
Michael Fassbender is an amazingly versatile actor. And nowhere is that portrayed better than 2015's Slow West. Abandoning his intricate and charming British accent for a more rustic American with a hint of a drawl, he manages to charm his way across the frontier as bounty hunter Silas Selleck. Along the way meeting Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who is a Scottish immigrant completely unaware of the dangers surrounding him as he searches for his lost love who ran away to America with her father. The adventures they have are many and varied, and the characters they come across in their travels are quite colorful indeed.
I loved this film for it's genre bending style. The western as you've never seen it before. Most of us are used to the tough guy old west where men were men and met at high noon for a showdown because someone bumped into somebody else on the road earlier that day. But this film follows the journey of someone fresh and new to the beauty and terror of the west, whose encounters will either make or break him in this wondrous new world. I love how it's shot like an indie film. I am a firm believer in "it is not the tale, but he who tells it." Certain stories work certain ways when told by certain storytellers. And this was a charming and fresh take on the "old west." Almost fairytale-esque. If there's one thing I needed more of in this tale, it's more of it. Sometimes I felt like some of the scenes needed more information or story, but that's part of the indie film market I suppose. You have to sacrifice some story for the dreamlike ambiance and contemplation this film has to offer. Watch out for a scene at the outpost that'll tear at your heart. No spoilers, but I warned you.
Slow West is a delight from beginning to end with action, adventure, love, and loss. The cinematography is gorgeous and the whole film was well cast, but Michael Fassbender stands out by portraying an excellent departure from his normal roles. At the end of the day you can hang up your spurs and six guns, because thanks to Fassbender, all is quiet on the western front.