Star-Studded Hulu Western Is The Best Of The Genre
We’re now in the era of Hollywood where many people reference “superhero fatigue” or “reboot fatigue,” as those seem to be the most popular and financially successful genres of the moment. But there was also a time when Hollywood constantly pumped out Westerns, which has significantly slowed down since the days of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne. But that doesn’t mean we’re devoid of modern-day Westerns that are classics in their own right, like the underrated Tombstone which is now streaming on Hulu.
Tombstone Is A Pitch Perfect Western
I like a good Western as much as the next person, but I wouldn’t call myself a connoisseur by any means. Still, Tombstone seems to hit all the right notes that you would want out of a Western including a great cast, some slick gunplay, and an underdog story where the gunslingers face overwhelming odds.
It also doesn’t hurt that the movie is loosely based on some real historical events, lending some intrigue to the film and opportunities to dive into some historical research after watching.
The Filmmakers
Tombstone is directed by George P. Cosmatos and written by Kevin Jarre and takes loose inspiration from historical events like the Gunfight at the OK Corral and the Earp Vendetta Ride in 1880s Arizona. Of course, that means real-life historical figures like Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, William Brocius, and Johnny Ringo are prominently featured in the film.
And they couldn’t have picked a better cast to portray them, with the standouts being Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday and Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp.
Wyatt Earp & Co.
Tombstone follows Earp and his brothers, Morgan and Virgil, who try to leave gunslinging in the past and move to the titular town in Arizona to start up a business. Of course, trouble eventually comes their way and they end up targets of a local gang. This leads Wyatt to team up with his brothers and his best friend, Doc Holliday, to protect themselves and their new home.
An Amazing Cast
While Tombstone doesn’t do anything new in terms of story, it’s a well-shot, extremely well-acted modern contribution to Western cinema that’ll leave you feeling very satisfied if that’s a genre you enjoy.
In addition to a fantastic performance from Kilmer and a characteristically great performance from Russell, the supporting cast is also extremely strong with Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn, and Dana Delany turning in great performances, along with narration by Robert Mitchum.
Stream It Now
GFR SCORE
Tombstone was pretty popular upon its release with a decent worldwide box office take of $73.2 million worldwide, along with plenty of critical praise, but it has only grown in popularity since then. Rightfully so, as it’s becoming rarer and rarer to see a good modern Western movie, and this movie delivers everything the classics did in a more modern and stylized way. Outside of some pacing issues, especially around the back half of the film, it’s hard to find too much to complain about with this Western and it’s well worth the watch on Hulu if you’re looking for a solid film to stream this weekend.
