Each Monday, I continue to share Western movie reviews as I go through the process of finishing post and releasing my 12 Westerns in 12 Months during 2020. I am watching these films not from an audience perspective but as a filmmaker, as a student of the genre.
Week 138: The Last Son
Less than a week after proclaiming that Old Henry, though often underwhelming, was probably the best Western of 2021, I have seen a better one. The Last Son is the stand out in a crowd of disappointing entries in the genre that is supposedly “making a come back”.
This dark tale is packed with great characters from Worthington’s demented protagonist (yes, this is a movie where the heroes are the villains) to Machine Gun Kelly’s young and dangerous outlaw (casting him was a stroke of genius) to Thomas Jane’s Cavalry officer (his best role in a long time) to Heather Graham’s tragic prostitute (also her best in a long while). It’s grim, brutal, and often weird. Take for instance the incestuous energy between Graham and Kelly. If you’re one of those Western fans who complains about Westerns being too dark these days, don’t even bother. But I appreciate all variations on the genre.
In addition, I worked with some of the people involved from horse wranglers to some background extras and it was a lot of fun seeing them pop up here and there. If you can stomach a hard-hitting violent Western, I highly recommend The Last Son.
Watched on Amazon.
