This is a somber, slow western that’s more wistful than it is profound. It’s strange and episodic, winding its narrative lazily along until it peters out unceremoniously. For all of its problems, however, it’s curiously fascinating and hard to look away from the bizarre journey.
Closest comparison: It’s like The Ballad of Buster Scruggs by way of Meek’s Cutoff.
Setting: Western
Plot: Chase
Tone: Stoner
This is a very politcal and thought-provoking film, but manages to refrain from being preachy by two virtues. Firstly, it is set in a distopian alternate present the is so significantly different from anything existing in the world today that it is remanded to the realm of alegory. And secondly, there is bound to be something in this film with which the viewer will disagree, or at the very least be challenged to think about, no matter what his political leanings. While the Brittish take the view that Guy Faulks was wrong for trying to overthrow the parliament, the film takes the much more American view that “Governments should be afaid of their people”, thought the cast is largely Brittish. It takes much more time to delve into the philosophy than the writers’ previous film, The Matrix, but still contains an excellent action scene near the end. Outstanding performances from Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, and absolute one time must-see.
