Taylor Sheridan makes so many great TV shows that people often forget he writes and produces movies, too. Sadly, most of his films remain underrated. Few remember Finestkind, starring Jenna Ortega, or Those Who Wish Me Dead, starring Angelina Jolie. Still, Sheridan continues to push on. The titan is reportedly writing and producing a Call of Duty adaptation, a production that just might become the biggest of his career.
As we wait for it, we ought to push the rewind button and move back to 2016, when arguably the best Taylor Sheridan movie of all time was released. Titled Hell or High Water, the neo-Western stars Chris Pine and Ben Foster as two brothers who decide to rob banks to prevent foreclosure on their land. All goes well until a Texas Ranger, played by Jeff Bridges, starts hunting them down. The film was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Jeff Bridges), and Best Editing.
Sadly, it is hardly talked about as much as No Country for Old Men or Desperado. 10 years later, it’s time for it to get the recognition it deserves.
‘Hell or High Water’ Came Out in a Crowded Year
Hell or High Water has an impressive 97% Rotten Tomatoes score, leaving one to wonder why it only made a mere $36 million at the box office. Well, it was made cheaply, on a budget of only $12 million, so it never received much marketing. OddLot Entertainment, the production house behind the neo-Western, was already running low on funds, and by the time the movie came out, the company had already shut down.
2016 was also one of the worst years to release an indie movie, since there were so many high-quality big-budget productions. Captain America: Civil War, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Deadpool, Central Intelligence, War Dogs, The Accountant, and Fantastic Beasts are some of the incredible movies that were released in the year.
Hell or High Water might have had a fighting chance if Taylor Sheridan were famous, but in 2016, he was only known as the guy who used to be in Sons of Anarchy. Yellowstone hadn’t come out, and neither had any of Sheridan’s other great shows. And when all the great TV shows started coming, everyone focused on them, ignoring the movies he made before. But the writer/producer’s 2016 neo-Western should no longer remain underrated.
The Criminals Are Not the Villains in ‘Hell or High Water’
Hell or High Water creates a nice space for itself, away from other Westerns, where the criminals aren’t really the villains. Forget the old Outlaw Vs. Gunslinger/Bounty Hunter genre trope. Here, things are a little more complicated. Right from the opening minute, Sheridan forces us to sympathize with the two brothers, Toby and Tanner. The reverse mortgage isn’t the only thing saddening them. Their mother has also died after a long illness. Their actions thus seem justified.
Sheridan also digs deeper into the “crime from necessity” over “crime from greed” angle. We learn that oil has been discovered on the land, so if they lose it, they’ll miss their biggest chance of becoming wealthy. So… there will be blood. One might notice a few nods to Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2007 film, but Sheridan and director David Mackenzie do their best to make the movie as unique as possible.
Above all, Hell or High Water benefits from incredible performances. It’s debatable, but Chris Pine has never done better work than he does here, and Jeff Bridges really looks like someone who got his badge in 1970. His law enforcement character has a lot in common with Llewelyn Moss from No Country for Old Men, only he is smarter and more cautious.
10 years later, the marvelous film ought to be playing on the TV of every genre lover… on repeat viewing or first-time viewing. Rent it on Amazon or Apple TV+
- Release Date
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August 12, 2016
- Runtime
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97minutes
- Director
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David Mackenzie
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
