The Searchers (1956) - 2/5

This movie is one of the all-time classic westerns, but unfortunately it does not live up to the hype. It’s aggressively tone-deaf, transitioning back and forth between scenes of gut-wrenching tragedy and lighthearted western antics like whiplash. There’s no emotional payoff for the injustices perpetrated in the first act, and multiple times main characters will suddenly do things they’ve said they wouldn’t with no warning or explanation given. Except for the score, cinematography, and acting, which are all excellent, this movie is an absolute mess.

Closest comparison: It’s like Man on Fire (2004) by way of Once Upon A Time in the West.

Setting: Western
Plot: Road Trip
Tone: Rescue Thriller

Stagecoach (1939) - 4/5

This film is so classic that seemingly all other movies featuring stagecoaches pulled from it, even modern films like The Hateful Eight and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. It’s one of the great John Ford westerns, and even after all this time still holds up to modern viewing. There are plenty of great character moments slathered on top of the rich western setting and the solid underlying story, and it’s the characters that carry the film and make it so memorable even today.

Closest comparison: It’s like the final vignette in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by way of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

Setting: Western
Plot: Confined Strangers
Tone: Adventure