Director: S. Craig Zahler

Release date: No Australian cinematic release

One of the best American films of the decade, Bone Tomahawk will sadly not receive the accolades it deserves. But this beautiful and traumatic film is a harrowing experience unlike any other in recent memory. Such is the depth of its characters and the poetic nature of its dialogue, it’s no surprise that its script and direction is the work of a novelist, S. Craig Zahler. It’s the year’s best directorial debut.

When members of the small 1890s community of Bright Hope are kidnapped in the night by a band of savage cannibal tribesman, four men – Sheriff Franklin Hunt (Kurt Russell), Arthur O’Dwyer (Patrick Wilson), Chicory (Richard Jenkins) and John Brooder (Matthew Fox), venture into the unforgiving frontier to rescue them. They do this knowing they face almost certain death.

From the moment the four men’s journey begins, death stalks every frame. Dread builds as each day brings them closer to the valley where the cannibals reside. Their quest is punctuated by countless memorable and humanistic moments, acts of violence and philosophical discussion. They are men of varying morals, each navigating in their own way a mission into the depths of darkness and depravity.

Bone Tomahawk seems destined for cult status, but ultimately deserves so much more. For cinephiles brave enough to watch it, the rewards are numerous. Though be warned: the film’s terrifying final act features one of the most graphic and troubling death scenes in cinematic history.