| This fairly extreme Western begins with a couple of thieves cutting the throats of some resting travellers, after which they walk through a sacred burial area.
This is an unimportant matter, says one of them, “to sophisticated men like us,” just as he scratches and spits. One of them is immediately killed and another gets away, but they have set up trouble for dwellers in a small nearby town.
The local doctor (a young married female), a deputy and a prisoner are then kidnapped and a wise Indian tells the sheriff (Kurt Russell) that the culprits are not Indians but “troglodytes”, though Indians are likely to get the blame.
The doctor’s husband (even though he has a bad leg injury), an experienced Indian killer and a veteran deputy (Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox and Richard Jenkins respectively) set out with the sheriff to attempt a rescue, which involves a long journey followed by an encounter with just about the wildest savages ever committed to film.
It’s quite involving and also horrifying as we wait to see if the prisoners can be released from their nightmare. In truth, everyone manages to stay remarkably calm in a situation which would surely drive most people insane with terror.
You’ll need a strong stomach for some of the violence.
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