The 2020s have already played host to a number of acclaimed Westerns, with the likes of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Power of the Dog earning rave reviews and multiple award nominations for the quality of film making on display. Considering that the majority of mainstream attention and appreciation has been devoted to these higher-profile names, the current decade’s big hitters have overshadowed a number of criminally underrated genre offerings, to the point that many film fans may not even be aware of their existence.
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While the current decade has yet to produce an outing that holds up as one of the best Western movies ever made, the signs have been promising to date. Following in the vein of underappreciated Westerns from the 2010s, the 2020s have already produced a number of notably underrated genre outings that the average cinema-goer likely has not seen. From movies that successfully channel trappings of other genres to outings that rely on tried and tested Western tropes, the current decade has witnessed a number of superb Western films that many fans might not have even heard of.
10 News of the World (2020)
Directed By Paul Greengrass
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Led by Tom Hanks, News of the World tells the story of Captain Jefferson Kidd, an elderly Civil War veteran who must endure a perilous journey to deliver a young girl to her last surviving family. Directed by Bourne franchise mainstay Paul Greengrass, the 2020 movie is one of the most well reviewed Western film offerings of the decade, garnering an impressive approval rating of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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Carried by a typically assured performance from Hanks in the leading role, News of the World treads familiar ground to produce a comforting, if somewhat unadventurous, Western. Helena Zengel is superb in her supporting role as Hanks’ young charge, adding another layer of emotional investment to the film’s uplifting narrative. News of the World isn’t as relentlessly grounded as some of Greengrass’ previous offerings in the vein of Bloody Sunday or United 93, but the film’s quality doesn’t suffer as a result of the director’s more measured approach this time around.
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News of the World PG-13WesternAdventureDramaAction
Starring Tom Hanks, News of the World is a 2020 Western film directed by Paul Greengrass. Based on the Paulette Jiles novel of the same name, the film sees a Civil War veteran trying to return a young girl to her only remaining family.
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*Availability in US Director Paul Greengrass Release Date December 25, 2020 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Cast Tom Hanks , Neil Sandilands , Michael Covino , Fred Hechinger , Helena Zengel Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Paul Greengrass , Luke Davies Runtime 118 minutes Expand
9 No Man’s Land (2021)
Directed By Conor Allyn
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No Man’s Land PG-13DramaThrillerAction
No Man’s Land (2021) is a modern-day Western film directed by Conor Allyn. The story follows Jackson Greer, played by Jake Allyn, who accidentally kills a young immigrant while patrolling the Texas-Mexico border. In an effort to seek redemption, Jackson flees on horseback to Mexico, pursued by Texas Rangers and Mexican federales. The film explores themes of guilt, redemption, and the complex dynamics of immigration and border tensions.
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*Availability in US Director Conor Allyn Release Date January 22, 2021 Studio(s) Voltage Pictures Cast Frank Grillo , George Lopez , Jake Allyn , Jorge A. Jimenez , Andie MacDowell Writers Jake Allyn , David Barraza Runtime 114 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
A stirring Western contemporary drama that makes a passing attempt at relevant social commentary, 2021’s No Man’s Land is a surprisingly evocative tale. Starring director Conor Allyn’s brother Jake in the leading role alongside Kingdom’s Frank Grillo as his father, the film follows a young fugitive’s journey for personal redemption after he accidentally kills an illegal immigrant during a vigilante border patrol.
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While No Man’s Land gets bogged down in parts by the typical genre tropes that audiences have come to expect from contemporary Westerns, Allyn’s picture is a remarkably poignant and thought-provoking offering. The movie arguably doesn’t make the most of its rich characters and nuanced premise, but the efforts of the Allyn brothers combine for a smoothly paced Western that simply doesn’t get the full credit that it is due.
8 The Pale Door (2020)
Directed By Aaron B. Koontz
A compelling Western with sprinklings of horror, 2020’s The Pale Door sees a group of hardened bank robbers face off against a coven of nightmarish witches after a train heist goes wrong. A low-budget offering featuring an array of unfamiliar names, Aaron B. Koontz’s picture received largely negative reviews, with critics citing the film’s inability to take full advantage of its compelling premise as the chief factor behind its wider failings.
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With that being said, there’s an intensely enjoyable viewing experience to be found at the heart of The Pale Door, if viewers are willing to look past some shaky script writing and pacing issues. The performances of the cast are excellent, while the film’s practical effects used to bring the witches and their town to life onscreen are particularly impressive given The Pale Door’s budgetary restrictions. A solid Western B-movie, Koontz’s picture is one of the more entertaining genre offerings to make its bow since 2020.
7 Let Him Go (2020)
Directed By Thomas Bezucha
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Let Him Go RCrimeThrillerDrama
Let Him Go is a 2020 drama film directed by Thomas Bezucha. It stars Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as a retired sheriff and his wife who set out to rescue their grandson from a dangerous family living off the grid. Set in the American Midwest, the film explores themes of loss, family, and resilience, delving into the emotional complexities of personal and familial conflict.
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*Availability in US Director Thomas Bezucha Release Date November 6, 2020 Cast Jeffrey Donovan , Ryan Bruce , Booboo Stewart , Kayli Carter , Diane Lane , Lesley Manville , Bradley Stryker , Kevin Costner , Will Brittain , adam stafford Runtime 114 minutes Writers Thomas Bezucha Main Genre Drama Expand
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Based on Larry Watson’s novel of the same name and spearheaded by a pair of powerhouse performances from Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, 2020’s Let Him Go is a neo-Western drama set against the backdrop of North Dakota in the 1960s. The film follows a former sheriff and his wife’s desperate attempts to rescue their young grandson, Jimmy, after the boy is taken to live off-grid by his abusive new stepfather and his family.
One of the best neo-Western films in recent memory with the trappings of a good, old-fashioned revenge flick, Let Him Go is relentlessly gripping and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish. A dusty, blood-soaked tale of retribution and the unshakable bonds that exist between family, Thomas Bezucha’s outing is a notably underappreciated diamond in the rough for the genre. Lesley Manville is particularly excellent in her villainous role as the ruthless Blanche, serving as a gloriously wicked foil for Costner and Lane’s protagonists.
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6 Old Henry (2021)
Directed By Potsy Ponciroli
A showcase of renowned character actor Tim Blake Nelson’s impressive dramatic credentials, Potsy Ponciroli’s Old Henry received critical acclaim upon release in 2021. Following the exploits of the titular character as he attempts to defend his son and his family home from a gang of nefarious bandits, Ponciroli’s film was shot on a budget of just $1.5 million but lands with more quality and gravitas than a slew of higher budget offerings from the wider genre.
Concerned that audiences would negatively compare his bow to his performance in
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
, Nelson insisted that
Old Henry
featured no gunspinning.
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Serving as a loving testament to Western classics while falling back on their tried and tested means for success, Old Henry is a meticulously constructed cinematic experience. Nelson’s gritty lead performance as an aged Billy the Kid is undoubtedly the criminally underrated film’s highlight, but Ponciroli’s smooth direction and the movie’s explosive climactic sequences are praiseworthy elements in and of themselves.
5 Cry Macho (2021)
Directed By Clint Eastwood
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Cry Macho PG-13WesternThrillerDrama
Cry Macho is a drama film that stars Clint Eastwood as Mike Milo, a former rodeo star and horse breeder who takes a job from an ex-boss to bring his son home from Mexico. Forced to take the backroads to Texas, the unlikely pair faces an unexpectedly challenging journey, during which the world-weary horseman finds unexpected connections – and potential redemption.
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*Availability in US Director Clint Eastwood Release Date September 17, 2021 Cast Natalia Traven , Eduardo Minett , Dwight Yoakam , Clint Eastwood , Horacio Garcia-Rojas , Fernanda Urrejola Runtime 104 minutes Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers N. Richard Nash , Nick Schenk Expand
A poignant neo-Western drama directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, 2021’s Cry Macho follows an aging rodeo star who is hired to extricate a young boy from his abusive mother’s clutches in Mexico. The film received mixed reviews, with criticism directed at the movie’s screenplay and what was deemed by some to be an uncharacteristically subpar performance from the Dirty Harry star.
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In spite of such criticism, Cry Macho’s stunning cinematography and reflective tone combine to render the 2021 outing an enjoyable watch. Cry Macho doesn’t come close to touching the dizzying heights of Eastwood’s best movies in the vein of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, but it’s still an entertaining and underrated showcase of the Hollywood icon’s proficiency as an actor and director set against the backdrop of a genre where he has done some of his best work.
4 Dead for a Dollar (2021)
Directed By Walter Hill
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Dead for a Dollar RThrillerWestern
Dead for a Dollar is a Western film directed by Walter Hill. It stars Christoph Waltz as a bounty hunter on a mission to track down a criminal played by Willem Dafoe. Set in the rugged landscapes of the Old West, the film explores themes of justice and survival, capturing the tension and grit synonymous with the genre.
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*Availability in US Director Walter Hill Release Date September 30, 2022 Cast Christoph Waltz , Willem Dafoe , Rachel Brosnahan , Warren Burke , Benjamin Bratt Runtime 114 minutes Writers Walter Hill , Matt Harris
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Featuring one of the more impressive ensemble casts that nobody has ever heard of, Dead for a Dollar stars the big-name likes of Christoph Waltz, Willem Dafoe, and Rachel Brosnahan against the backdrop of a gripping Western thriller. The movie sees a bounty hunter tasked with returning a businessman’s missing wife after she is purportedly abducted by an army deserter. Directed by proficient Western filmmaker Walter Hill, the 2021 movie boasts everything that an audience would expect from a wildly successful genre outing.
However, despite what appeared to be a sure-fire recipe for success on paper, Dead for a Dollar surprisingly received mixed reviews and failed to generate little in the way of mainstream fanfare. However, while the film may not have lived up to the expectations that come attached with the film’s A-list stars, Hill’s picture is still a solid, old-style Western that remains worthy of a watch for any fan of the genre, if a slightly unadventurous one.
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3 First Cow (2020)
Directed By Kelly Reichart
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First Cow PG-13WesternDrama
First Cow (2020) is a contemplative drama set in the early 19th century Pacific Northwest, focusing on the unlikely friendship and entrepreneurial ventures of a skilled cook and a Chinese immigrant, highlighting themes of survival and socio-economic dynamics against a backdrop of naturalistic beauty.
Director Kelly Reichardt Release Date March 6, 2020 Cast John Magaro , Orion Lee , Toby Jones , Ewen Bremner , Scott Shepherd , Gary Farmer , Lily Gladstone , Alia Shawkat , Dylan Smith , Ryan Findley , Manuel Rodriguez , Patrick D. Green , Jared Kasowski , Rene Auberjonois , Jean-Luc Boucherot , Jeb Berrier , John Keating , Don MacEllis Runtime 122 Minutes Writers Kelly Reichardt , Jonathan Raymond Main Genre Western Expand
It’s fair to say that a cow seems like an unlikely premise for one of the more quietly impressive Westerns of the 2020s, but Kelly Reichart’s First Cow swiftly dispels this notion across two hours of first-rate cinema. Set in Oregon during the 1800s, the film chronicles the story of two men who secretly steal milk from an outpost’s sole cow to bake biscuits for profit and their eventual downfall.
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Debuting at Telluride Film Festival in 2019, the film was theatrically released in 2020 to a tidal wave of critical acclaim, citing Reichart’s direction and the cast’s performances as notable high points of a superb Western drama. An endearing tale of companionship that plays off the superb chemistry between the film’s leading duo of John Magaro and Orion Lee, First Cow is undoubtedly one of the most underrated Westerns of the 2020s, as well as a front-runner for best cow film of the decade.
2 Butcher’s Crossing (2023)
Directed By Gabe Polsky
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Butcher’s Crossing RDramaWestern
Based on the novel by John Edward Williams, Butcher’s Crossing is a Western drama that stars Nicolas Cage and Fred Hechinger as a duo on a hunting expedition rife with danger. When the financially stable Will Andrews (Hechinger) drops out of Harvard to find his purpose, he meets a veteran buffalo hunter named Miller (Cage), who can lead a hunting expedition deep into the Colorado Rockies. With Miller’s knowledge and Will’s capital, they set off only to face one of the most dangerous wilderness adventures they could imagine.
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*Availability in US Director Gabe Polsky Release Date October 20, 2023 Writers Gabe Polsky , Liam Satre-Meloy Cast Nicolas Cage , Fred Hechinger , Rachel Keller , Jeremy Bobb , Xander Berkeley , Paul Raci Runtime 105 Minutes Studio(s) Phiphen Pictures , Altitude Film Entertainment , Saturn Films Distributor(s) Saban Films Expand
Based on John Williams’ novel of the same name and set against the backdrop of the Old West, 2023’s Butcher’s Crossing chronicles a perilous buffalo hunt that swiftly descends into a visceral fight for survival. A largely run-of-the-mill Western, Gabe Polsky’s film leans heavily on Nicolas Cage’s presence for success, with the Longlegs star turning in another excellent performance as mysterious frontiersman Miller in the midst of his later career resurgence.
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Placing a narrative emphasis on storied themes in the vein of obsession and greed, Butcher’s Crossing doesn’t discover any exciting new frontiers for the wider genre, but the movie makes the most of what it has to work with in assured fashion. The end result is a polished, crisply acted Western; an underrated cinematic offering that notably benefits from the stunning visuals afforded by the film’s natural landscape.
1 The Harder They Fall (2021)
Directed By Jeymes Samuel
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Featuring a killer soundtrack and an ensemble cast, Jeymes Samuel’s The Harder They Fall is an unabated triumph for the genre. A well acted, blood-soaked tale of revenge, the 2021 Western bears the unenviable label of being associated with Jonathan Majors following the actor’s plummet from grace. This regrettable state of affairs has likely contributed to the film’s underappreciated status as of 2024.
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Problematic casting choices aside, The Harder They Fall’s inherent quality is fortunately not contingent upon Majors’ involvement with the film. From the movie’s cinematography to its electric action sequences, Samuel’s must-see Western is a first-rate picture across the board, and a criminally underrated one to boot. In addition to an array of top tier performances from the wider cast, Idris Elba notably crackles with intensity in his role as the film’s antagonist Rufus Buck, breathing life into one of the genre’s most memorable villains in recent memory.
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The Harder They Fall RWesternDramaAction
After Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) is released from prison, Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) brings his gang back together to defeat his enemy. Starring alongside Majors and Elba in The Harder They Fall are Zazie Beetz, Edi Gathegi, R.J. Cyler, Regina King, and LaKeith Stanfield. The Western was released in select theaters on October 22, 2021, and released on Netflix on November 3, 2021.
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*Availability in US Director Jeymes Samuel Release Date November 3, 2021 Studio(s) Netflix Cast Jonathan Majors , Idris Elba , Delroy Lindo , Danielle Deadwyler , Regina King , Edi Gathegi , r.j. cyler , Damon Wayans Jr. , Zazie Beetz , Deon Cole , LaKeith Stanfield Distributor(s) Netflix Writers Boaz Yakin , Jeymes Samuel Runtime 139 Minutes Expand