Hostiles (2017)

When you set aside your demand for accuracy in setting or even blame for the plight of the Native American and the American Soldier forced to work in harsh conditions, you can sit back and enjoy the story of struggle and redemption. As difficult as it is for any man to understand what happens to a good man who is forced to kill another man, Bale and the other cast members paint well the challenges we face living with ourselves in light of doing what it takes to survive. Enjoy the slow and endearing story.

Westerns have been quite the resilient genre, but the same time Hostiles is not usual gunslinger/outlaw Western. It is about change, which includes grief and what adapting means to one's moral compass. Christian Bale - who masterfully captures the PTSD-like weariness of a soldier who's killed too many - stars as an Army captain who is given orders to take an imprisoned sickly Cheyenne chief home to his reservation to die as a free man. But, like the other films directed by Cooper, each of those films seem to be in no rush to get where they are going. Bookended by an intense intro and tense finale which are thrillingly brutal, Hostiles also takes the long way in reaching its destination. Actually film feels even longer than it is (133m) because it prioritizes mood over narrative depth and momentum. The story itself follows a fairly predictable path, but at the same time film boasts a cast of brilliant actors which performances are quite good and the location photography is breathtakingly at times.In short, Hostiles is a mixed-bag drama when it comes to story and execution and like so many westerns, still mostly adheres to the one-sided stereotypical story telling. Film fails to reach its full potential, wanders off course from time to time, but eventually manages to deliver its simple message and understanding right on time. The movie generally worked for me, and it's been a good few years now since I came away from a cinema with that feeling about a western.8/10

I watched this movie at home on BluRay from our public library system, my wife decided to skip and read instead. The making-of extra is interesting, the writer/director explains how he wanted to make a western but with a message for modern times, tolerance for others with more kindness and less animosity.It is 1892, the movie starts with a scene where a family with three young daughters see a small band of Natives approaching their homestead, presumably to steal their horses. The man comes out shooting, seemingly a suicide move, and in fact only the woman survives, Rosamund Pike as Rosalee Quaid. She was destined to join the Army party to Montana.Christian Bale is war hero Capt. Joseph J. Blocker, at a Post in New Mexico, with a reputation for killing Natives, sometimes brutally. An old chief (Wes Studi) has been imprisoned for years and Blocker would really like to kill him. But instead is ordered to escort him and his family, including young grandkids, to their Montana homeland. At risk of losing his pension if he refuses.So that in essence is what the movie is about, the trip to Montana, the troubles they encounter along the way, the things they do to preserve themselves. Incidentally a trip from New Mexico to Montana is roughly 1000 to 1500 miles, depending on your route. That's a difficult trip in 1892 on horseback.Overall a very well made movie of a difficult subject.

Scott Cooper's 'Hostiles' is a poetic film, that explores life & death with gut-wrenching violence & a hard-hitting narrative. This isn't an easy watch & nor does it want to be. Its a film about hate, divide & circumstances, & Cooper along-with leading-man Christian Bale, deliver a deeply affecting & meditative experience.'Hostiles' follows a U.S. Cavalry officer (Bale) who must escort a Cheyenne war chief (A Fantastic Wes Studi) and his family back to their home in Montana in 1892.'Hostiles' is about people haunted by their past & their actions towards one-another. Every character here, be it the protagonist, or the characters around him, are unsettled & victims of hate & hatred. This is a story about people who want to question their hate for one-another, but are unable to, due to their given circumstances. This is a human story & the sheer brutality here depicts a side of humanity we all are aware off. Its told with honesty, albeit, with gut-wrenching aggression.Scott Cooper is in top-form this time around. 'Hostiles' is a slow-moving, poetic piece, that sees the filmmaker in strong command. Cooper captures the bleakness & conflict, with remarkable understanding. Cooper's Vision is astonishingly captured by Cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi, who paints 'Hostiles' into a visual marvel. Takayanagi's Camerawork is meditative & skillful to the point of perfection. Editing by Tom Cross adapts perfectly to the film's pace & offers sharpness overall. Art & Costume Design are pitch-perfect. Max Richter's Score is beautiful.Performance-Wise: Christian Bale delivers a knockout performance. As the conflicted & haunted Cavalry officer, Bale portrays the part with rare conviction. Its no new fact that Bale is among our greats, but 'Hostiles' shows us a side of his that may have just put him up there, right next to the all-time screen giants. What a wonderfully nuanced performance by Bale. Of the rest of the cast, Wes Studi portrays his complex part fantastically. Rosamund Pike is restrained. She's controlled & believable all through. Jesse Plemons is solid, as always. Ben Foster plays a yet another unlikable character, with the perfect blend of menace & insanity. Rory Cochrane is first-rate. Timothée Chalamet makes a very brief appearance, yet he does his bit nicely. Stephen Lang, again in a cameo, is outstanding! Others lend good support.On the whole, 'Hostiles' demands a viewing on the strength of its sheer merits. Don't Miss This One!