Friday, August 12, 2016

Hell or High Water Movie Review

Chris Pine & Ben Foster (r) star in Hell or High Water

Lord of the Plains

Rotten Tomatoes Plot: Texas brothers - Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster), come together after years divided to rob branches of the bank threatening to foreclose on their family land. For them, the hold-ups are just part of a last-ditch scheme to take back a future that seemed to have been stolen from under them. Justice seems to be theirs, until they find themselves on the radar of Texas Ranger, Marcus (Jeff Bridges) looking for one last grand pursuit on the eve of his retirement, and his half-Comanche partner, Alberto (Gil Birmingham.) As the brothers plot a final bank heist to complete their scheme, and with the Rangers on their heels, a showdown looms at the crossroads where the values of the Old and New West murderously collide. Directed by David Mackenzie.


Big (and loud) isn't always better, as Hell or High Water demonstrates in truly spectacular fashion. Despite its sleepy (yet wisely imposing/ominous) setting, Mackenzie's film lives up to Bridges' proclamation, "This is where the action is." Pine & Foster tackle the "disease" of being poor with (sometimes) reckless abandon, simultaneously capturing the essence of desperation, disdain and hope better than anyone before them. The pace is breathtaking (across a mere 102 minutes) with interesting dialogue, "rattlesnake of a waitress," and lush, award-worthy cinematography (Giles Nuttgens.) All this and some of the year's best acting? Make room for the Oscar(s.)

Grade: A