Netflix’s The Harder They Fall – A Dynamic Western (Early Review)

Westerns are a genre of yesteryear that have not been nearly as prevalent as of late, arguably being eclipsed by other genres. Therefore in order to stand out, any given film has to bring enough to the table while offering enough to appeal to younger audiences for whom the genre may not immediately appeal to them. When it comes to The Harder They Fall, the latest western to hit theatres and Netflix, a stellar cast and a dynamic style that feels very current is sure to appeal to a large portion of audiences. While the film offers plenty in terms of spectacle and technical prowess befitting of a big screen, be it exciting action set pieces and beautiful cinematography and production design, they are supported by that aforementioned stellar cast and an excellent script that balances it all. All of this results in one the coolest and most fun experiences of the year so far. Running at 130 minutes, the film will certainly not feel like that as it runs at a brisk pace that saw plot keep moving, taking some twists and turns towards an epic conclusion.

A fictional story using some real life characters, The Harder They Fall follows Nat Love (Majors), a notorious outlaw who rounded his gang back up upon hearing the news that his mortal enemy Rufus Black (Elba), another outlaw who was recently released from prison. The two shared a dark history going back to Love’s childhood where a tragic incident sent him on a revenge path which he thought he had completed until it was no longer the case. Suffice it to say that Love was nowhere near the scared child he once was as he had since amassed a special set of skills that made him deadly to anyone who stood in his path but unlike the other outlaws, he was a principled one. However, those can only go so far as it left him with a tight window in which to operate. As Love went about getting his gang back together, audiences were treated countless fun moments of camaraderie between he and the others members of his gang who each brought boatloads of personality with them. While these characters could have used more time to show off those personalities, they were a blast to watch together.

Ultimately, the characters of The Harder They Fall felt like they were part of a world that was much bigger than them and that scope may be lost upon audiences without more of an intimate knowledge of the real characters in what is a fictional story. While it seemed to be building up towards something more, whether or not anything will come from it remains to be seen. Over the course of the film, Love’s revenge story saw him face his troubled past as his gang rallied around their leader. However, this didn’t necessarily mean that others did not have their own reasons for moving forward. Though incredibly resourceful, they were the underdogs in a tale that forced them to go against the might of the United States government and Black and his own infamous gang with their own feisty personalities. The back-and-forth between the rival gangs was as Love tried to bring down Buck’s operation was a tense roller coaster. In order to get close to Buck, Love had to get his attention which meant putting he and his gang in Buck’s crosshairs and that they did, literally. In the end, all the bullets and bloodshed led to an emotional finale that may divide some but hit harder than any bullet.

As mentioned, what set the film apart was its style that pops through every frame. It takes what many would call an older genre and made it current. Be it beautiful cinematography, flashy camerawork, energetic editing, stellar costumes and production design, or a killer soundtrack, The Harder They Fall is just cool. It will also not be for the feint of heart. The action, though exciting, can be violent at times as the bullets and other weapons did some real damage. Meanwhile, the script balanced the spectacle with a compelling story admirably. Featuring a story boasting a large amount of characters, it was inevitable that not all of them would get a fair shake. For the most part, the sum made up for its parts as the excellent chemistry across the board made for a fun watch overall. That being said, it still had its standouts. While Majors as Love was his usual uber-charismatic self and Elba as Buck was an inconsistent but still charming villain in spite of that, Danielle Deadwyler as Cuffee and Lakeith Stanfield as Cherokee Bill were scene-stealers.

At the end of the day, The Harder They Fall is an experience befitting screens of all sizes that should not be missed.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.