How the Greatest Modern Horror Western Is Connected to Beowulf (2024)

The Western horror genre may be slightly niche. Still, it is marked by many phenomenal movies, from J.T. Petty's atmospheric horror Western The Burrowers to the vastly underrated frontier cannibalistic thriller Ravenous. The genre has established itself as a favorite among fans of both genres, with a few stand-out movies leading the charge. Among these films, though, one stands out more than the others: the S. Craig Zahler-directed and Kurt Russell-led Bone Tomahawk.

Bone Tomahawk is a modern masterpiece that blends genre elements under the distinct vision of its director. However, the movie draws its inspiration from curious places, including one of the oldest recorded works of literature, Beowulf. By drawing on modern and contemporary forms of storytelling, we will look at how the two are connected and what makes Bone Tomahawk a definitive entry in the Western horror genre.

Bone Tomahawk Plot and Cast

Bone Tomahawk

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Release Date

October 23, 2015

Director

S. Craig Zahler

Cast

Patrick Wilson , Kurt Russell , Sean Young , Lili Simmons , Matthew Fox , Zahn McClarnon

Main Genre

Western

A small-town sheriff, Franklin Hunt, played by Kurt Russell, is forced to lead a rescue team after a series of missing townsfolk is tied to a cannibalistic tribe making their home in a desolate area bordering the fictional 1800s town of Bright Hope. As they journey into the wilderness to find those captured, the group faces many challenges brought on by the unexpected brutality and inhumanity of their enemy. Blending Western and horror genre tropes, Bone Tomahawk offers a bleak yet thrilling trip into terror in an unforgiving landscape.

Bone Tomahawk stars Kurt Russell as Sheriff Hunt. Russell, at the time of the film, was considered somewhat of a relic of the film industry, a major star whose popularity ran out in the early 2000s with Big Trouble in Little China, marking the actor's last real hurrah with cult movie fans. The role would help revitalize the actor's career, and he would follow up Bone Tomahawk with The Hateful Eight a year later. The supporting cast includes Patrick Wilson, best known for his role as Josh Lambert in Insidious and Ed Warren in The Conjuring Universe, alongside Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, Lili Simmons, Evan Jonigkeit, David Arquette, and Fred Melamed.

The movie was written and directed by the divisive S. Craig Zahler, who has garnered a cult following with his three films to date, Bone Tomahawk, Brawl in Cellblock 99, and Dragged Across Concrete. Revered for their unapologetic nature and realistic action/violence, the works have equally been scrutinized for their graphic nature and perceived political slant.

Bone Tomahawk Is the Greatest Modern Western Horror

Bone Tomahawk carves itself a nice niche that makes it not the best Western or horror movie but an ideal mix. This is bolstered by director S. Craig Zahler's unapologetic and graphic approach to violence. The mash-up of gritty Western with the shock of graphic horror makes Bone Tomahawk one of, if not the greatest Western horror movie of the modern age. The movie is undeniably one of the scariest Westerns ever made, as long as one can stomach the realistic violence.

The cast is phenomenal, including Kurt Russell, whose role received significant praise and helped revitalize his career. He is accompanied by a great supporting cast, with memorable performances by Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, and Richard Jenkins. The cinematography is picturesque, conveying the beauty of the Western landscape with clarity. In contrast, when things turn horrific, the same landscape takes on a much more ominous atmosphere, particularly when exploring its caves that house the cannibalistic tribe that antagonizes Sheriff Hunt and his crew. Bone Tomahawk is a visual feast backed by a strong cast.

Bone Tomahawk has also been met with critical praise. It is currently at 91% fresh, with 103 reviews and a 71% audience score. The film was a moderate success on the festival circuit, with its most prestigious award coming from Sitges—Catalonian International Film Festival, where it picked up Best Director in two categories and the José Luis Guarner Prize.

How Bone Tomahawk Is Connected to Beowulf

The connection between Bone Tomahawk and Beowulf may not be immediately obvious and is also, admittedly, rather tenuous; think six degrees of Kevin Bacon-type connection. Still, the two series connection offers an intriguing look at how the modern Western Horror stand-out has its roots embedded in one of the most widely recognized pieces of ancient literature.

Bone Tomahawk draws influence from John McTiernen's The 13th Warrior, an adaptation of Michael Crichton's novelEaters of the Dead. Chrichton presented a re-imagining of Beowulf, presenting his novel as suggesting a "real" historical basis for the mythic events described in the poem. At the same time, the work gives the story a new context, adding cultural and narrative elements and giving a modernized perspective on the original poem. At its core, the work speaks to primal fears of the unknown and the call for heroism in such uncertainty, integral to Kurt Russell's Sheriff Hunt in Bone Tomahawk.

Bone Tomahawk is an amalgamation of all three projects, largely tied thematically and to its cannibalistic antagonists, placing it in the unforgiving Western landscape and adding S. Craig Zahler's penance for nihilistic violence. Tracing the various influences of Bone Tomahawk and experiencing them all for oneself (which is recommended) does paint a fascinating portrait of the evolution of classic storytelling methods and how Bone Tomahawk's appeal comes from both its unique and fresh approach that is grounded in universal, timeless themes.

Bone Tomahawk is certainly sensational, but because of its roots in classic literature, it is grounded in themes that should still appease fans of Westerns and horror alike. Those wanting to check out the film for themselves or revisit it can stream Bone Tomahawk on Netflix or Hulu.