The Harder They Fall
NetflixRevenge, cool cowboy hats, and Idris Elba. That trilogy is a common recurrence for the likes of Concrete Cowboy and The Last Tower. Now, it is founded on the great efforts and shift in tone of cowboy iconography within The Harder They Fall, a feature set on maximising the story and revamping the style of those classic, gun-toting heroes. An incredible ensemble comes together, bringing a new generation to the Badlands appeal of this Netflix original. Such a bulked-out cast helps The Harder They Fall extremely well, but performance is just one facet of this revenge-led thriller as an outlaw discovers his enemy is back on the streets and out of prison.
Those build-ups work well for director Jaymes Samuel, whose understanding of an inevitable showdown linger on every scene. It is an inevitability. What else could happen? A hero and villain are bound to draw their pistols, kick teeth in or reign hell on one another. The Harder They Fall is quietly reserved on that. It never pries at the relationship between Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) and the outlaw Rufus Buck (Elba) too often, because it does not need to. Instead, much of the film concerns the allies and other enemies of Love. Lakeith Stanfield and Regina King are stellar as ever, and eager fans will appreciate the work Zazie Beats and Delroy Lindoput into this feature. They are, after all, a formidable ensemble. Lindo particularly offers the strong and diligent role of Bass Reeves. Local law enforcement is usually quick to satiate the desires of a gun-toting gang, but Samuel does well to temper those expectations with an understanding between outlaw and official.
Blurring that is harder than expected. The Harder They Fall does not take much influence from the golden era of spaghetti westerns, but finds itself following in the footsteps of those classics and the pacing they provided. Sin-coated dusters and the villains that are adorned by them are as fitting here as they are in the finest of Clint Eastwood outings. Elba’s villainous presence is a demanding role, but sees him produce his finest work in years. His outing as Buck provides some icy charms and delicate touches that see the darkest moments of Lee Van Cleef ring through. His stature plays well with the ensemble around him, and the parts they provide fit together well.
Taking the story of Nat Love and amplifying it with action, contemporary derisions and classic detail, The Harder They Fall is a formidable blend of the old-hat stylings and the newfound love for the western genre. Its occasional rekindling as a heavy-hitting genre piece provides a great number of satisfying outings. For The Harder They Fall, reliable character work and a necessary approach to revitalising the genre. It is a tender style, one that navigates the issues of the Old West with gusto and contemporary revitalisations of a colourful iconography. Bright and flashy buildings do away with the dusty westerns of the 1990s, flowing camera movements and the opportunity to explore characters and the tensions that surround their lives. The Harder They Fall is all the better for it, and one of the finest modern westerns available.