Wild Movies Perfect for Your Western Adventure

Oct 7th 2020

West is much more than a direction. The west embodied the idea of open range, opportunity, and freedom that has long held a romantic place in our history and our hearts. Whether you live in the western portion of the country or you visit the Great Plains and Rockies for escape, here are a few fun movies to get you excited for an upcoming vacay or to while away lazy nights on the dude ranch.

Tombstone (1993)

This old west town was a hotbed of lawlessness until legendary Texas Ranger, Wyatt Earp, showed up with his brothers and got it under control. While the movie is largely fictional (based loosely on real-life events and people), it's still a fun romp filled with notable actors (Kurt Russell, Sam Elliot, and Bill Paxton as the Earp brothers). Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday steals every scene with memorable zingers like, "I'm your huckleberry" and "I have two guns, one for each of you." It all leads up to the infamous shootout at the O.K. Corral and the killing spree that follows.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

There are few writer/directors who can make suspense and gore more riveting than Quentin Tarantino, and he delivers a doozy with this western thriller that takes place almost entirely in a cramped cabin in the middle of snowstorm. Shifty characters abound as the story unspools with a sickening sense of impending doom. Like many Tarantino films, its anyone's guess which of the cracker-jack cast (including Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, among others) will escape a gruesome end.

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

The western genre is made for epics, and this saga set against the backdrop of the French and Indian War is no exception. Daniel Day-Lewis is fierce as Hawkeye, an adopted member of a dying Native American tribe who tries to live peacefully with colonial neighbors. Unfortunately, he is drawn into conflict when he agrees to rescue the daughters of a British colonel, who have been kidnapped by an unscrupulous scout from another tribe. The love story set against a wartime backdrop is nothing new, but it's well-done, nonetheless, and you're sure to love the soundtrack enough to download it.

Rango (2011)

Ostensibly a take on the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale of The Brave Little Tailor, Rango is the animated story of an unassuming chameleon who finds himself stranded in the western town of Dirt, where he takes credit for the recent slaying of notorious outlaws, saying he managed the feat with only a single bullet. He's then pressed into service as the sheriff and tasked with ending a water crisis, a job which he badly bungles before getting kicked out of town. He soon finds the source of the water problems and returns to heroically save the town that took him in.

In Conclusion

Whether you are looking for a family film or something that showcases the grittiness of the Old West, the right film exists to put you in a Western state of mind.