Hell or high water hearkens back to the great warner brothers gangster dramas of the early 1930s, which were about hard times driving criminal activity. Hell or high water makes the banking institutions in the film central antagonists to overcome. Its not that hell or high water brings anything new to the table in terms of plot. Hell or high water director breaks down the opening. Hell or high water is the second film scripted by actorscreenwriter taylor sheridan, after his breakout as a writer on the acclaimed 2015 film, sicario. Weve seen dozens and dozens of movies about bank robbers and the law enforcement people trying to bring them to justice. Hell or high water offers a solidly crafted, wellacted western heist thriller that eschews mindless gunplay in. Hell or high water writer explains the films ambiguous ending ew. Hell or high water is set in the wake of the great recession caused by a realestate collapse based in large part on predatory loans.
Hell or high water is a smart, substantive heist film. David mackenzie, gives each of his actors time to shine and fills the film with picturesque details, but the movie might as well be a table read set before a green screen. How hell or high water portrayed a very real america. This is exactly the mindset of the two brothers in this crime thriller which takes place following the 2008 financial crisis. Hell or high water, like many films in the new hollywood overpromises and underdelivers. On its face, hell or high water is a straight texas crime thriller, good paperback novel stuff with a bit of cormac mccarthy mixed in for the critics. Critically acclaimed and wellappointedwith jeff bridges as the aged antagonist texas ranger and ben foster and chris pine as the young protagonist bank robbers hell or high water fails to live up to its promise. Hell or high water is political, but doesnt have a. The sicario and hell or high water writer has turned director with wind river, an acclaimed crime thriller set on a native american reservation. Hell or high water is a smart, substantive heist film director david mackenzies film about two brothers who rob banks while being chased by texas rangers is.
In short, hell or high water is a masterpiece a mumford and sons ballad come to life, one that feels both timeless and searingly relevant. How hell or high water became an indie summer success. The film tries to pass a moral about not being villains or good guys, in the western, these concepts does not exist, there is only who draws the gun first, the film is great at doing this, even if it happens in the current times, we also have brushstrokes about seeing all points of view and a criticism of the abandonment of the cities of the. Hell or high water study guide contains a biography of director david mackenzie, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. This is a work of broad scale and deep feeling, a film to make you excited about the potential for finding new stories. On its face, hell or high water is a simple story about two brothers ben foster and an outstanding chris pine who start robbing banks to prevent the bank from foreclosing on their family ranch. Hell or high water is a heist picture with a satirical edge that reminded me of brechts dictum about robbing a bank being a waste of time compared to owning one. But, hell or high water is a film that broods with a modern edge of resentment, injustice, and pent up frustration. This article appears in the august 8, 2016 issue of new york magazine. If you dont mind coarse language, watch in disbelief as good guys toby chris pine and. Hell or high water director david mackenzie breaks down his films opening scene, a breathless bankrobbery sequence. I hope to see you in the response section about this weeks script. How hell or high water portrayed a very real america that many.
A classic tale with a new twist, sheridans hell or high water brings the western into the modernday and not only updates the tired cliches that once dominated the genre, but also manipulates them for his own characters purposes. The themes of the film, though, concern the warfare elites make on ruralites in america, and its something you dont often see in movies these days. I might be talking about the near referencequality aspects of this home video transfer if it were not for a nasty bit of aliasing that rears its ugly head in the opening moments of the movie. Hell or high water is a modern action drama set in west texas where the distinction between honest men and outlaws has blurred beyond recognition. Driven into debt by the reverse mortgage taxes of americas 2007 economy crash, hell and high waters protagonists must rob to pay off their mommas ranch. The phrase means a strong will to do something, regardless of any difficulties which may lie in the way. A waltz across texas in hell or high water the new york. In addition to the usual cinemas on the two coasts, cbs films also brought the movie to theaters in texas and southwest because of the movies storyline. Hell or high water even features a cast led by the national treasure that is jeff bridges. David mackenzies modernday western may be the first great film to depict the fallout of the 2008 financial crisis.
The film follows two brothers chris pine and ben foster who carry out a series of bank robberies to save their family ranch, while being pursued by two texas rangers jeff bridges and gil birmingham. Were constantly entertained with plenty of wideopen texas vistas, in between the images of roadside economic meltdown. For part 2, to read the major plot points, go here. He has written sicario, hell or high water, and wind river and this analysis of all three films looks at their place. Its opening time for a first texas bank branch in archer city texas. Hard times make hard desperados in david mackenzies sage, postrecessionary texan crime thriller. To download a pdf of the breakdown for hell or high water, go here. Hell or high water offers an iconic vision of the modern. Hell or high water characters, not carnage, key in. The director, david mackenzie, gives each of his actors time to shine and fills the film with picturesque details, but the movie might as well be a table read set. A divorced father and his excon older brother resort to a desperate scheme in order to save their familys ranch in west texas. The trailer is remarkable in making the film look deeper than it truly is, and should be held up as a shining example of what a studio should do to help sell a film with a deficient story.
At first glance, hell or high water would seem to be just the candidateit is written by taylor sheridan, whose first produced screenplay became last years largely acclaimed thriller sicario, and directed by david mackenzie, the british filmmaker behind such intriguing works as young adam, perfect sense and starred up. New york the ageold question whether good ends can ever justify moral or criminal wrongdoing gets an intricate examination in director david mackenzies sober drama hell or high water cbs. But cbs films, which is releasing hell of high water via its distribution deal with lionsgate, decided to pursue a dual strategy. Hell or high water is the best film of 2016 so far, joining the nice guys, hunt for the wilderpeople, 10 cloverfield lane, zootopia, and midnight special on my list of the years truly great.
On their heels follows a grizzledyetwily texas ranger on the cusp of retirement jeff bridges. Hell or high water is a 2016 american neowestern heist film directed by david mackenzie and written by taylor sheridan. The last video essay of 2017 is a look at the work of writer taylor sheridan. But, along with a gritty atmosphere and dialogue to match, the issues mackenzie weighs call for careful analysis on the part of mature viewers. They demand the money that is in the drawers, but to their dismay they are empty. Hell or high water is a haunting, humanist western vulture. A film that promises much, but delivers little when it comes to a functional and meaningful narrative. Hell or high water may be the most political of this years academy award nominees for best picture, but it isnt clearly liberal or conservative. The movie hell or high water essay 1488 words bartleby. And yet, while moviegoers desperate to see anything that doesnt involve a superhero may be willing to overlook its shortcomings, others will undoubtedly be disappointed to find.
Many of the locals that witness the robberies committed by. Texas brotherstoby chris pine, and tanner ben foster, come together after years divided to. Brothers on a bankrobbing spree make their way through a desert of economic decline in this film by david mackenzie. That said, one of hell or high waters greatest strengths is the way it builds its sweaty east texas milieu through unexpected details, whether that be the exasperated drawl of a. Hell or highwater, by david duchovny, 2015 hell or high water, a song by acdc from the 1985 album fly on the wall hell or high water, a song by kiss from the 1987 album crazy nights. Violence includes several scenes of guns and shooting. Hell or high water chris pine, ben foster, and jeff bridges are all brilliant in hell or high water, david mackenzies gripping west texas drama of crime, fear, and brotherly love. We need a palate cleanser to get us ready for oscar season.
Instead, hell or high water approaches the film with medium shots and shies away from quick cuts so that viewers can experience the towns and. Seize this opportunity and join in the conversation. Hell or high water writer explains the films ambiguous ending. Hell or high water was shot digitally using the arri alexa xt and is presented on home video at the 2. Theres also beating and punching and people being threatened during bank robberies. Hell or high water is the movie and its simply one of the best films of the year, a tense, modernday western suffused with desperation, dread and anger, as well as humor, empathy, and a. An allergy to exposition serves him well here as he instead uses audience expectation to his advantage and. The hell or high water ep, by the red jumpsuit apparatus, 2010. Marcus throughout the film ribs alberto on his racial heritage and alberto responds with old insults back at marcus. The fbi is not interested in the case since the robbers did not steal a large amount, only 7000 dollars, so the texas rangers are. With jeff bridges in top form, chris pine dropping his hero act and foster convincing as a reckless robber, scottish director david mackenzies. The second one of the banks employees opens the door two robbers barge in. Hell or high water hard times make hard desperados in david mackenzies sage, postrecessionary texan crime thriller.
If theres such a thing as an easygoing thriller, then hell or high water is it. For part 1, to read the scenebyscene breakdown, go here. Every film now is derivative of another in some way or another. Filled with indelible characters, sneaky humor, and mournful intelligence, its a film that deserves to be seen. The difference here is in character and even more importantly.
Jeff bridges plays a texas ranger in hell or high water. Major kudos to andrew lightfoot for doing this weeks scenebyscene breakdown. This directly relates to tobys need of cash to pay off the predatory reversemortgage the bank tricked his mother into signing so they could effectively steal her land. There is one film, though, that effectively captured our moment.