THE HARDER THEY FALL: An Entertaining Yet Fleeting Modern Western

Classic Westerns had their time, with many from John Ford, Howard Hawks, and others still being widely acclaimed today, but it’s hard not to see many elements of those films as outdated as well. Race and gender, in particular, are touchy subjects, with Black characters rarely seeing prominent roles, Native Americans seen as inhuman savages, and women often just prizes to be won by their male protagonists. The Spaghetti Western subverted a lot of these tropes, especially the films of Sergio Leone, which in turn influenced the modern Western as we see it today, of which many are often labeled as revisionist.

It’s within this landscape that The Harder They Fall comfortably fits. It’s what could be called a revisionist Western given its all-Black cast, in addition to having heightened roles for its female characters. It incorporates modern slang, modern music, and some unique visual effects. At the same time, though, the film often falls back on some of the tropes that it is trying to separate itself from. In addition, it is just a bit too long and at the same time underdeveloped, which is disappointing given the clear purpose behind its creation.

Setting the Scene

The Harder They Fall sets up its goal almost immediately, claiming that though the story itself is fictional, the characters themselves are based on real people. Its attempt, therefore, is to shine a light on famous Black figures of the Old West, who may have been overlooked in modern society. From the start, we see Rufus Buck (played by Idris Elba), the clear antagonist of the film and the head of a gang of outlaws, which also includes Cherokee Bill (Lakeith Stanfield) and Trudy Smith (Regina King).

Their gang is notably distraught, as they had recently been stolen from by Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) and his own gang, which includes Jim Beckwourth (RJ Cyler) and Bill Pickett (Edi Cathegi), who are soon joined up with by Bass Reeves (Delroy Lindo), Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz), and Cuffee (Danielle Deadwyler). A quick Google search soon reveals that nearly every character here, with the exception of Trudy Smith and Cuffee, is based on a real historical figure. As mentioned, the story itself veers away from what really occurred with these people during their time, but this perhaps leans even further into what The Harder They Fall is trying to accomplish.

Shining a Light on History

While watching The Harder They Fall, I couldn’t help but think of some other modern Westerns that play around with history, such as the series Deadwood and its follow-up film. With a multitude of characters based on historical figures, it also takes creative liberties, using modern language and creating its own unique storylines and arcs. Here, with the possible exception of Stagecoach Mary, many of these characters may be all but unknown to modern audiences.

But in reality, that’s sort of the purpose of The Harder They Fall. We’ve all heard of famous white figures like Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickock, and even the rare female icon like Calamity Jane. But how many people have heard of Nat Love, a former enslaved person who became a famous cowboy in his time? Or Bass Reeves, the first Black marshal of the Old West, who made over 3,000 arrests and shot and killed 14 people in self-defense? The Harder They Fall might not really delve much into their actual history, but it may illuminate their names to a modern audience, allowing people to research and discover these people on their own, and I wouldn’t diminish that worthy goal in the slightest.

Modern Twists

In reality, though, The Harder They Fall does not completely idolize the legends it is trying to capture, especially since many of them were outlaws and murderers, but it does stand out in its own way. For example, there are many memorable one-liners, some exceptionally-choreographed gunfights, and a superbly fitting modern soundtrack that would make Quentin Tarantino blush with envy, which includes reggae and hip-hop tracks by Jay-Z, Barrington Levy, and Dennis Brown. There are even some unusually stimulating visual effects throughout, such as in one scene where Idris Elba‘s character is breathing in and out, and the train car behind him inhales and exhales with his breathing, as if the world itself is at his beckoning. In addition, the language used is far from the dull Old Western talk you would expect, with modern slang words being tossed around, often to humorous effect.

Perhaps what keeps The Harder They Fall from being a really inventive action-Western though, is the tension that is missing from much of it. In an early scene with Elba‘s Rufus Buck, it does actually seem hopeful. It’s a slow buildup of a scene, allowing us to get to know the side characters of Rufus Buck’s gang, who are ruthless while at the same time somewhat reasonable, especially Stanfield‘s Cherokee Bill. Once we finally meet Rufus, the tension is tight, and you can tell it’s about to snap. And snap it does, as Rufus Buck walks calmly in slow motion amongst an onslaught of bullets, all while Jay-Z’s track “Guns Go Bang” blasts in the background. Sad to say, though, that the rest of the film does not quite live up to this moment. Even the final conflict, as exciting as the gunfight itself is, does not feel as worthy of the wait as this early scene, with the fight often feeling far-too-choreographed and choppy in nature.

It’s hard not to think more fondly back on films with more limited fight scenes that somehow feel more tense and exciting, such as the films of Sergio Leone or Tarantino‘s Django Unchained (which is problematic in other ways, but definitely not disappointing action-wise). It’s the calm moments that make the louder ones all the more extreme in contrast, a fact which those filmmakers knew all too well. The Harder They Fall instead erupts in violence all too often, with not enough of a quiet tension to get to that point. With a newcomer behind the helm in the form of music producer Jeymes Samuel, his vision is there (as is his prominent and effective use of music to set the scene), but the means to get there is what needs a bit of work.

An Ensemble Cast of Talent

The characters themselves in The Harder They Fall are all played by a clearly-exceptional cast, with some standouts being Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beets, and Lakeith Stanfield, who manage to capture the spirit of their characters while also making them their own. Majors in particular, hot off the underrated sci-fi show Lovecraft Country, strikes an impact with not much more than a menacing glare and the occasional quip, showing the strength of his character with immense confidence. While Beets, who supposedly did not know much about Westerns before this film, does not seem it in the slightest, as she stands head-to-head with such veteran talent as Regina King and Idris Elba.

On the other hand, with so many characters and famous actors playing them, it’s hard not to see some of them as somewhat underused. RJ Cyler‘s Jim Beckwourth, for example, is essentially just a hot-handed young gunslinger, who doesn’t get much personality other than his desire to be the fastest draw in the West. Delroy Lindo‘s Bass Reeves also seems forgotten for much of the film, other than the final conflict when he finally gets a chance to shine. And though Idris Elba is unsurprisingly good, he also seems sidelined during the final conflict, while Regina King‘s performance and accent just seem ever-so-slightly off, a rare miss for the recent Oscar winner.

The characters themselves are also too-often thrust into those types of situations that the film is supposedly trying to distance itself from, such as Zazie Beets‘s Mary being the damsel in distress for a good portion of the film. The story itself, which I have not divulged too greatly for spoiler reasons, may also be all-too-familiar since it is one almost solely based upon revenge. There’s an attempt to insert a grander statement about revenge in the last few minutes, but it seems almost shoehorned in, which lessens its impact. Instead, the film just feels like a revenge tale we’ve seen numerous times before, Western or another genre.

Conclusion

Clocking in at almost 2 hours 30 minutes, The Harder They Fall is a tad longer than audiences will likely be happy with. Though it is at moments entertaining, and as a whole something to be appreciated, with its look at famous Black historical figures and its celebration of Black culture as a whole, it still feels somewhat slight. When it comes down to it, perhaps The Harder They Fall just attempts to do too much and doesn’t quite have the necessary balance and patience to accomplish it all. Still, if you’re looking for a fleeting couple of hours with some talented actors and some exciting action and music, you’d be hard-pressed to turn away.

What do you think of The Harder They Fall? Are you a fan of modern revisionist Westerns?

The Harder They Fall is currently streaming on Netflix.

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