‘The Harder They Fall’ Review: Jonathan Majors is stellar in a well-cast Western with some familiar plot beats

Jeymes Samuel‘s feature directorial debut with The Harder They Fall is a violent, cool western full of terrific performances. There’s nothing too unique about the film’s vengeance plot. However, the script by Samuel and Boaz Yakin uses this outstanding ensemble cast in unexpected ways.

Jonathan Majors has had a number of charismatic performances in Loki, Lovecraft Country and Last Black Man in San Francisco. His performance in The Harder They Fall as Nat Love should solidify him as a leading man from this point forward. As great as this ensemble is, this is his film. He carries each emotional beat, looks great in the action scenes and his easy, sexy chemistry with Zazie Beetz nearly burns the saloon down.

The aforementioned Beetz, the reliable Delroy Lindo, Edi Gathegi as Bill Pickett, an overzealous RJ Cyler as Jim Beckworth and a breakout performance by Danielle Deadwyler as Cuffee provide Love with some support.

Idris Elba is terrific as the villain here. There’s weight and heaviness to his version of Rufus Buck that helps anchor this film. Regina King and LaKeith Stanfield surprised me. Not their acting, King and Stanfield are two the best actors on the planet, but how compelling they’re as straight-up villains.

The composition of these actors with their respective gangs allows Majors to emerge as the leader and gives the Nat Love Gang an almost unbeatable enemy to defeat.

The only issues with the film are the lack of an original plot. Nat Love seeking revenge for a personal tragedy caused by Rufus is a common theme in movie western’s. The foreshadowing is a little heavy-handed at times, which leads up to an inevitable ending for many of the characters. There’s a 3rd act reveal that’s just doesn’t work.

With the overview out of the way, let’s dive deeper into the conflict between the Nat Love and Rufus Buck gangs. There may be some minor spoilers. The Harder They Fall is currently streaming on Netflix.

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Vengence in The Harder They

After Rufus killed his parents and literally left him scarred for life, Nat Love is set on a course toward vengeance. After tracking one of Buck’s men down, he returns to his former lover Mary Fields. He tries to claim his quest for vengeance is over on account that Rufus is imprisoned, but she’s not exactly convinced. Beetz and Majors are simply electric in every scene.

His associates’ quick-draw Jim Beckworth and sharpshooter Bill Pickett uncover surprising news during a heist. Rufus is getting out of prison. Before the Nat Love Gang can proceed further, Marshall Bass Reeves (Lindo), arrives and arrests Nat. The arrest is a ruse to prevent Love’s partners from risking their lives. Mary, Jim, Bill and Cuffee see through the ruse and join Nat’s crusade.

Rufus’s reasons for killing Nat’s parents also tie into the film’s focus on vengeance. Unfortunately, the late in the film reveal is unnecessary and didn’t actually influence Nat’s decision at all.

Prison Break

One of the best sequences in The Harder They Fall is a prison break that’s executed on a train. Rufus’s cohorts Trudy Smith (King) and Cherokee Bill (Stanfield) stage an actual legally binding prison escape while Rufus is being transported from Yuma via train. The sequence does a great job of introducing Trudy’s malice and Cherokee’s loquacious style of speech. There’s nothing nice about either of these characters. Rufus was going to be released, but the rest of the Rufus Buck Gang didn’t want to waste time.

However, Cherokee and Trudy share one thing in common with the Nat Love Gang. Loyalty in their leader. There’s never a hint of a turn coming from Trudy or Cherokee, even after the lack of readily available funds could pose a risk. They support Rufus and do what they can to help him.

There are some great scenes between King and Beetz as well as Stanfield and Cyler as the film builds to the action-packed 3rd act. For the women, their grit in being able to carve out their path stands out. The duo’s one-on-one fight sequence is the best action setpiece in the film and man is it brutal.

For the men, you have two characters that love to talk but are on different wavelengths. Cherokee is a seasoned operator who has seen just about everything in the west. He knows what you’re thinking of doing and immediately tells, then shows how your thinking is wrong. Jim Beckworth has fast hands, but not much sense when it comes to understanding how this very deadly game is played. He fetishized these legendary outlaws and duels but has little awareness much to the chagrin of Nat and Bill Pickett (Gathegi).

Redwood City

One of the best subplots in The Harder They Fall revolves around Redwood City. Before going to prison, Rufus ran the whole town. A former associate of his, Wiley Escoe has been running the town in his place. Deon Cole is fantastic as Escoe. His first appearance comes off as menacing but is all for show. He plans on telling Rufus that Redwood is his town now but immediately whimpers under the weight of Rufus.

The final setpiece takes place in Redwood City. It’s a gorgeous shootout full of violence and gore. The end result is predictable, but the action is surprising and well done across the board. I could easily watch a prequel with Rufus running roughshod over Redwood prior to his incarceration.

Majors and Elba make each of their scenes opposite one another standout. There’s respect for Nat from Rufus. He also cares enough to listen to Cherokee and Trudy’s counsel. With everyone else though, there’s almost a permanent look of disdain etched onto Rufus’s place and Elba is brilliant at playing characters that look down on others. You don’t question Rufus Buck, period.

Unfortunately, the end of the film has a weird reveal that tries to add a layer of reasoning to a character that didn’t need it.

The Harder They Fall Final Thoughts

Terrific performances that shine in roles you don’t expect as well as some you do, great dialogue, inspiring action scenes and cool settings breathe new life in a genre that needed something just a bit new. There are issues with the somewhat recycled plot rife with western cliches, a 3rd act reveal that doesn’t amount to much and a somewhat inevitable climax keeps The Harder The Fall from greatness.

However, there’s more than enough on display from Samuel to look forward to whether it’s in the western genre or something new.

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