The Thicket is a western like you have never seen before. This movie delivers on everything fans love, but a big twist that makes it unique.
Let me just come out and say it. As a woman there is something I truly appreciate about what The Thicket does. Women in westerns are usually the damsel in distress or the prostitute at the local brothel. And while this movie does feature both of those, it also offers up a major twist on the movie’s big villain.
That’s right. Cut Throat Bill is played by none other than the fantastic Juliette Lewis, making it (probably) the first time the big bad in a western is female. And of course, she crushes the role.
The Thicket is a passion project for famed actor Peter Dinklage, and boy did he pick a good one. Based on the book by the same name, there are only a few changes that were made for this adaptation. This female iteration of Cut Throat Bill being the biggest one. That said, the heart and soul of the story is still here, which is why it works so well.
Dinklage is phenomenal as a bounty hunter named Reginald, which is to be expected. The man is a brilliant actor – something that he has proven time and time again. No matter what role he takes on, he perfectly embodies the character. It is always a complete joy to watch him on screen.
The cast of The Thicket is small, allowing viewers to become connected with most of them. This is important because when it gets down to it – and the big final shootout begins – it just works best when you are rooting for everyone. Talk about an edge of your seat moment, this movie has heart and action, making that epic sequence mean more than you might expect it to.
Esme Creed-Miles, Levon Hawke, Gbenga Akinnagbe, and Leslie Grace each bring something incredible to the table. While we spend time with them all, it is certainly Levon Hawke’s Jack that will steal viewers hearts the most. He is on the hero’s journey, wanting nothing more than to get his sister back from Cut Throat Bill’s clutches.
Set at the turn of the century, viewers are treated to a combination of eras. While this is certainly a western, things are just about to move into the industrial revolution. This creates an ambiance and settings that feel unique to the term western. Not to mention, the incredible costumes, hair, and makeup that really bring this time to life.
The Thicket is a movie that you will not soon forget. With relatable characters, even if they live in a different time than us, and a story that is not going to end how you expect it to. There is a lot to love about this movie, and it is easy to see why Peter Dinklage fought for so long to bring it to the screen.
The Thicket comes to theaters on September 6th, so be sure to check it out.
NEXT: The Thicket Cast & Director On Bringing This Western To Life
About The Thicket
When fierce bounty hunter Reginald Jones (Peter Dinklage) is recruited by a desperate man to track down a ruthless killer known only as Cutthroat Bill (Juliette Lewis), he rallies a band of unlikely heroes including a grave-digging ex-slave and a street-smart woman-for-hire. Together they embark on a perilous quest to track down Cutthroat Bill that leads them into the deadly “no-man’s-land” known as…The Thicket.
A film about vengeance, justice, and unlikely companionship, THE THICKET also stars Esmé Creed-Miles (Hanna), Levon Hawke (Blink Twice), Macon Blair (I Care A Lot), Andrew Schulz (You People), James Hetfield (Metallica), David Midthunder (On Sacred Ground), with Arliss Howard (Mank), with Leslie Grace (In The Heights), and Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Old Man).
The Thicket comes to theaters September 6th.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.