From up-and-coming writer/director S. Craig Mahler comes Bone Tomahawk, a surprisingly effective entry in the world of western filmmaking that approaches the genre from a much more brutal, bloodier perspective. In other words, this isn’t your daddy’s western.

In this beautiful plight into dangerous territory, a group of men are clearly not prepared for what they are about to encounter. The trouble they are about to walk into will swallow them whole, and yet, despite knowing in the back of their minds that going up against such ruthless, ferocious people who have a much better grasp of the land will inevitably backfire, in true heroic fashion, they must push forward anyway. These men are hardened by their rugged conditions, and therefore must adhere to the definition of manhood that has been constructed by their rough society. That’s why when a straggler is kidnapped from the local jail by inbred, cave-dwelling, cannibalistic Indians, along with two of their regular townspeople, Sheriff Franklin Hunt, Arthur O’Dywer, Chicory, and John Brooder make it their mission to set out upon a long and dangerous journey to retrieve them.

Not since the days of Tombstone, more than twenty years ago, have audiences seen Kurt Russell up on top of a horse, and it’s a very welcome return to form. Despite his few appearances in depictions of the Old West, it feels like Russell was born for westerns, as he delivers his lines with an air of calm authority and sly wit, casually but firmly declaring himself in the most powerful man in this room and any other. He’s in charge, and anyone else who tries to take that title from him is only kidding themselves, as Russell points out when a gentle flick of his wrist that shoots a quick blow of his pistol and subtly renders Purvis (David Arquette) immovable but alive when he tries to skip out on his crimes.

Russell musters the jaded strength and the quiet bravery that wrangles the rest of the gang along and keeps them in line, a standout trait that seems to illustrate the actions of cast itself, along with the characters they personify. Without him, this would still be an impressive, well-acted film, but with Russell in charge, it’s a modern day masterpiece of a genre that seemed all but lost in today’s film world.

All around, the cast is terrific, and everyone seems well equipped to handle their assignments. David Arquette in particular finally seems like he’s landed a role that actually sits extremely well with him, and the only real grievance of the film is that his character Purvis doesn’t stick around longer to let Arquette show what he can really do.

Deliberately slow-paced and at times almost stubbornly slow moving, Bone Tomahawk might feel like a bit much at times, but if anything, the drawn out nature of these mens’ pilgrimage to the cave only helps demonstrate the agonizing frustration that often came with the pace of the time period, especially when one was injured, or desperately trying to retrieve someone they lost.

The shockingly violent, extremely graphic barbarity may not be for everyone, but if you can stomach it, it makes for a very satisfying ending, despite the sadness that comes with knowing that all of these characters can’t possibly make it back home alive. Whether the viewers deem it too gory to be grouped in with the rest of the traditional entries, or accept it as a new angle on a subject that seemed all but worn out, all fans of the genre can agree on one thing: the fact that it’s just nice to see a resurgence of westerns in this day and age.

With films coming out like Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight, Daniel Barber’s The Keeping Room, and Ti West’s In a Valley of Violence, it’s become clear that movie goers aren’t done with westerns just yet, and even if the newest additions don’t quite resemble the ones from the past, it’s exciting to see newer filmmakers pull from the classics they love, while adding in new techniques and styles to make the genre refreshing all over again.