despite not being a brutal movie, you really get to understand the brutality of the time. In spite of this, though, the film succeeds at elevating itself above its setting. Even if you aren’t particularly interested in westerns, the character stories are so universal that the setting ends up being irrelevant to your enjoyment of the film. It’s is a wonderful first showcase of the talents of director John Maclean, and I look forward to seeing where he goes from here.