'The Thicket' Impresses Critics

         On September 6, 2024, 'The Thicket' was released by Samuel Goldwyn Films, which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "When fierce bounty hunter Reginald Jones (Peter Dinklage) is recruited by a desperate man to track down a ruthless killer known only as Cutthroat Bill (Juliette Lewis), he rallies a band of unlikely heroes including a grave-digging ex-slave and a street-smart woman-for-hire. Together they embark on a perilous quest to track down Cutthroat Bill that leads them into the deadly "no-man's-land" known as...The Thicket." The ensemble cast includes Levon Hawke, Macon Blair, Esme Creed-Miles, and Leslie Grace. But what did the critics say?

       Todd Jorgenson of Cinemalogue says, "This bleak and brutal frontier thriller is downbeat and deliberately paced, bolstered by striking visuals and character-driven intrigue to offset its genre cliches and stereotypes." Adding, "As directed by Elliott Lester (Aftermath), the evocative depiction of harsh wintry landscapes captures a sense of desolation and despair, where every day brings a new fight for survival amid brazen anarchy and random savagery. Taking advantage of her most substantial film role in recent memory, Lewis is menacing as an impulsive gangster with a deep rasp and a penchant for violence that masks a vulnerability suggesting past trauma in a world of pervasive misogyny and oppression. Meanwhile, Dinklage provides an emotional anchor as the only somewhat virtuous presence, even tossing off a few one-liners to lighten the mood. Among those popping up in smaller roles are Arliss Howard and Macon Blair, plus Metallica frontman James Hetfield."

Photo Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

        Craig D. Lindsey of RogerEbert.com writes, "The unlimited amount of Sturm and Drang on display will turn away those looking for a fun, engaging shoot-’em-up." Concluding, "While the premise has more in common with ”True Grit” and “The Searchers,” two novels that went on to become iconic, big-screen oaters, “Thicket” has more in common tonally and visually with the brutal spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Corbucci (his snow-capped downer “The Great Silence” is definitely an influence) and bleak acid Westerns like John Hillcoat’s “The Proposition” and Andrew Dominik’s “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.” Director Elliott Lester (who last directed Arnold Schwarzenegger in the straight-to-VOD “Aftermath”) hits us with a lawless, hopeless Wild West continually covered by snow (the movie was shot in Canada), and just as cold and unforgiving."

       Romey Norton of Film Focus Online praises the film, stating, "Through the drama, grit and ruthless killings, 'The Thicket' has themes of self-identity, consequences, survival, and moving on. Over-all, 'The Thicket' is an intense modern Western drama with a stellar cast and stunning imagery. A must-watch!"

Photo Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

        Daniel Gorman of In Review Online notes, "It’s a woolly, weird, and occasionally brutal tale, constructed mostly via familiar story beats but made volatile by an appealing roster of offbeat characters and excellent cinematography." Concluding, "The film bounces back and forth between its various plot points, having the disparate groups interact only in fleeting moments. Instead, there are plenty of detours along the way; Jack visits a whorehouse and saves Jimmie Sue (Leslie Grace) from a particularly nasty pimp, while an unexpected turn of events makes one of the Deasy brothers an unlikely ally to our ramshackle gang of anti-heroes. Dinklage is phenomenal as a man used to being disregarded and underestimated due to his height, and Lewis (replete with grotesque scars that situate her as something like a kissing cousin to Hex) matches him with her snarling, ferocious take on Bill. The two only share one scene together, but it’s a legitimate barn-burner, featuring two weary outsiders ostracized from polite society and angry at the world in their own very different ways. And all of this builds to a grand finale where not everyone survives; indeed, one of the film’s strengths is its genuine unpredictability. Anyone can die at any moment, the bad guys are given moments of quiet tenderness, and the good guys go to extremely violent ends to get what they want. It’s a vast moral abyss, matched by the barren landscapes that constantly dwarf the characters. Of course, it would be overstating things to suggest that The Thicket is in the conversation to be considered one of the great Westerns, but there are at least traces of Robert Aldrich’s philosophical misanthropy here, as well as Nicholas Ray and André de Toth’s understanding that the environment itself is as important as the characters on screen. The unforgiving, inhospitable land these people traverse is ultimately an extension of their own black hearts and the rot hidden away just under the surface of civilization. The Thicket is low-budget fare done right, and an unexpected delight for viewers of a certain persuasion."