Review- Hell or High Water


Hell or High Water is a film you probably haven't heard of. It's gathered a bit of word of mouth but mainstream buzz has been non-existent on it. I only went to see it on the glowing recommendation of one friend who said it was already one of his favourite films ever. Kind of expecting it not to live up to the hyperbole, I went, expectations slightly lowered and holy shit did this film blow me away. It's the story of two brothers who rob banks simply to try and get by and a sheriff and his deputy who hunt them down. The story is simple and if it sounds familiar, that's because it's basically a western. I'm not an expert on the genre but it goes along like a modern (yet not too modern) version of the Sergio Leone classics. And anyway, the story that's in place is only simple so as to be the perfect canvas for the rest of the film to expand on in incredibly impressive ways.

The performances in this film are absolutely sublime, there's no point hiding that under waffle and preamble. Chris Pine and Ben Foster play the two brothers and are both incredible. Their chemistry together is utterly believable and every scene feels so true. Individual performances are up to scratch too with Chris Pine shedding his image as decent yet bland Kirk to be a character who has so many dimensions and is so very tortured over each decision he makes. Ben Foster comes in off Warcraft, a film I liked but with a performance I did not like and he has completely redeemed himself here. His character is possibly the most fascinating of the film as you're never really sure what his motivations are until the very end at which point his entire arc is tied up in a wonderful bow. Foster really has turned in one of the best performances of the year here, although co-star Jeff Bridges should not be forgotten. The highest praise I can give him is that I didn't see Jeff Bridges here. This was not the guy who was The Dude in The Big Lebowski, this was a real sheriff on screen who was tortured but fought through it to be the hero his county deserved. All the supporting cast put in equally great performances here. Basically, not a single actor puts a step wrong.

There's really too much left for me to praise here, it's a film that works for so many reasons. The cinematography is crisp and sharp and there are some stunning long takes that gave me goosebumps throughout the film. Real credit has to go to director David Mackenzie for carrying out a confident and complete film that works in every way. Another way the film soars is with it's soundtrack. As I mentioned, the film is a modern western and the soundtrack supports that with the twang of country guitars and the sounds of the deep south mixing with a constant beat that keeps the film alive at all times. On that note, I also want to commend the tension in this film. No, it isn't the most tense film of the year and it won't be remembered for it. What it does is build a Hitchcockian level of suspense into each scene so that even when nothing's happening, you are paying full attention, ready for something to happen. And (without spoiling too much) when things do start to happen, the tension is there in full force, so much so that in one particular scene, every single sound effect had me jumping in my seat. This is how to keep an audience on edge without resorting to any cheap tricks at all.

Please go see this film. It won't be in cinemas much longer but if you get any chance whatsoever to see it, take it with both hands. It is an experience that is hard to explain because it is so simple and pure. and I believe it will improve with each rewatch. The highest praise I can give this film is that it made me reconsider my ratings system. I loved Anomalisa earlier this year but it made me realise that Anomalisa wasn't a 10/10 film. Why? Because it wasn't close to this film in all it's majesty and that's why I'm delighted to give it my highest possible rating of a



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