Plot: What’s it about?
Offering a bit of a variation on the western genre, Slow West tells a fairly simply story following a young man’s quest for the woman he loves. Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) enlists the help of Silas Selleck (Michael Fassbender). He appears to be a quiet man minding his own business, but agrees to serve as a guide to Jay. We get some flashback sequences throughout the film that hint at Jay’s relation to Rose (Caren Pistorius). There’s trouble for Rose and her father since there’s a bounty on both of them. That brings several undesirable characters into the mix, all of them trying to kill Rose and her father and collect the bounty. This adds an urgency for Jay as he hopes to get to Rose before anyone else does. Things move at a calm pace as the film builds towards its violent and tragic climax.
Slow West probably won’t be remembered as a modern classic, especially among the western genre, but it does have its heart in the right place. It’s not the most exciting western out there, but its attention to character development is admirable. The story is straightforward and relatively simple, but somehow that works in its favor. It might not be something that requires multiple viewings, but it is one of those films that works its way on you and gets better as it progresses. It only helps that the performances are all at the top of their game. Once again, Fassbender gives a great performance, never hitting the wrong note. I wasn’t familiar with Smit-McPhee before this film, but he gives a nice, heartfelt performance here. Once we reach the conclusion, his performance really starts to resonate. Those expecting endless shootouts might walk away disappointed as this is more of a character driven western, but if you let it, it works its way on you. Rent it.
Video: How’s it look?
I praise westerns in HD quite often, and this is no exception. The open landscape is always a feast for the eyes and the transfer displays a near perfect presentation throughout its running time. The details are strong and colors are always sharp. Fans will be more than pleased.
Audio: How’s it sound?
This is a dialogue driven film, so don’t expect tons of work from the rear channels. Vocals are always audible with no issues to speak of. When the bullets begin to fly during the climax, things are kicked up a notch. The rear channels get nice usage there. This track serves the film as it should and fans will be impressed.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- Deleted Scenes
- On Strange Land: Making Slow West – A typical behind the scenes look. Don’t expect anything too substantial here.
- Digital Copy
- Previews
The Bottom Line
It won’t be to everyone’s liking, but there’s a nice story here. The pace can be slow as its title suggests, but the characters are what matter here. The film gets better as it goes along. Rent it.
