The western; a staple of a cinematic era long past, but one genre that provides a new instalment from time to time. Gone are the days of the classics that involved John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and others, but every so often we get a glimmer of hope that this throwback genre still possesses a certain magic that is simply undeniable. Looking to hit the target is John Maclean's Slow West, a film that defies the usual framework of the classic western and instead throws up much, much more.
Jay (Kodi Smit-McPhee) has embarked on an epic journey that will see him travel from Scotland to the very ends of America's West in search for the one true love of his life, Rose (Caren Pistorius). Having spent much of their childhood together and going against the wishes of their families, the pair shared a special bond, one that Jay still believes is very much worth travelling thousands of miles to rekindle.
Travelling the dangerous and outlaw-heavy plains, he soon comes across the barrel of a gun, only to be rescued by outlaw Silas (Michael Fassbender), whose wish to see the boy to safety in return for money seems like an offer too good to refuse. What Jay doesn't know is that Silas is actually on his own quest, with Rose's bounty and the riches it brings firmly on his mind.
John Maclean's western is about as compelling as a modern day genre offering can get, blissfully swatting the familiar mould of the dust-covered, gunslinging adventure scenario, in order to bring to viewers something much different. Instead, the debut director delivers to us a striking story that pits two individuals on different ends of the spectrum and questions their own being and theories about life.
Smit-McPhee's Jay is hypnotised by love and the beauty of life, while Fassbender's Silas is simply awaiting death and destruction at every corner he reaches. This dynamic makes for a striking on-screen partnership, with both actors playing their part in fusing a solid and powerful duo. The younger of the pair is admittedly emotionless at times, but this actually plays into the film's and the character's strengths, with Fassbender often commanding as he has reliably done so in so many other films in his repertoire.
Along the way, Slow West sees us encounter a whole host of outlandish and trigger-happy foes, with each adding that something extra under the simmering sun and dusty lands. Among those, Ben Mendelsohn's Payne, whose past with Silas adds an extra dynamic in what is a rather simplistic and singular layered movie. Not that it needs to be anything more - to the contrary - Slow West is in fact stronger for its direct narrative, blending a number of flashbacks with its present day unfolding of events.
This all couples with some simply sublime cinematography that screams at us for more of the same from this sector of the film universe. With New Zealand serving as an ecstatic backdrop of America's West, we are dealt with exceptional postcard visuals blooming with every frame. From the dusty oranges to the resplendent flowering of the forests, there is a distinct beauty about Slow West that once again sets itself apart from your run-of-the-mill western.
The beautiful landscapes and capturing of every intricate detail only shift into further brilliance in what is an utterly enthralling finale; one that is shot with sheer awareness of what a classic shootout should be. Gunmen hiding amongst the corn, a house under fire, and our focus duo in their own predicaments, the finale of the film will have you squirming and bolt upright in equal amazement and dread, with an air of unpredictability remaining until the final moments. Beauty and dread combine to culminate in a fascinating conclusion to a film that pays dividends for its audience remaining patient.
Slow West is exactly what is says on the tin, a slow-burn western that delivers in its gradual build-up and tips the scales in terms of cementing itself as a rather diverse offering within the rarely visited genre. With Fassbender and Smit-McPhee in the driving seat the film is always in safe hands, and with some simply exquisite direction and cinematography you would be hard pushed to find a more impressive debut feature of this ilk in recent times.
Bloody, beautiful, romantic and enthralling, Slow West is certainly a western that demands attention and so much more.
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