All Netflix Westerns Ranked

Netflix
since it became popular as a streaming service, it has released thousands of original feature films and TV shows, with some of their best original films being Westerns. The humble Western once dominated cinema, being to the pop culture of yesteryear what superhero films are today. Despite the success of the best Westerns of the 21st century, most studios are hesitant to explore new stories in this seemingly outdated genre. However, with its deep pockets and impressive resources, Netflix has become a driving force in preserving the Western.

Admittedly, when it comes to raw numbers, Netflix is ​​actually among the last few streaming services in terms of the number of Westerns available. That being said, the original Westerns it contributes are undoubtedly some of the greatest entries in the Wild West genre to come out of the streaming era, with a high quality that surpasses all but a select number of similar films made in the modern era. While not every Netflix original Western is perfect, some of the best Netflix originals overall are set in the romantic, windswept landscapes of the Wild West.

8

Funny 6

The film was released in 2015.

A sharp difference in quality from the rest of Netflix’s Western offerings. Funny 6 not only is it a terrible Western, but it’s also one of the most critically panned original streaming service releases in film history. Not to be confused with the Western Hall of Fame classic. Magnificent 7 nor Quentin Tarantino’s modern crime thriller Hateful Eight, Ridiculous Six brings Adam Sandler’s comedic style to the old west. Sandler plays a cowboy who reunites with his estranged half-siblings to follow the return of their outlaw father to the desolate countryside.

Not only that Funny 6 Without a doubt the worst original Western to come out of Netflix, but it’s also one of the worst comedies of Adam Sandler’s career, which really speaks to what Sandler’s filmography doesn’t achieve. Even Sandler’s signature sense of humor isn’t enough to save a clumsy ensemble comedy that’s constantly at odds with itself and never manages to make even the comedian’s most die-hard fans laugh. Funny 6 mired in awkward stereotypes, dubious problematic humor and crude jokes that fall apart upon impact.

7

Paradox

The film was released in 2018.

Compared to the rest of Netflix’s cowboy repertoire, Paradox can hardly be considered a feature film at all, let alone a true Western. Instead, the film (to the extent that it can be called that) centers around a gang of criminals who are on the run from the law by hiding out in some isolated mountains. While they spend their time searching for treasures along the mountain ridge, they exchange fun, music and stories under the light of the full moon. The film is heavily colored by the performances of songs from Neil Young’s album of the same name. Paradox.

As a media Paradox it’s essentially a small bonus feature on a studio album masquerading as a feature-length film. In truth, the whole experience feels more like an extended music video, with loose narration and footage providing a subtle excuse to explore Neil Young’s newest discography. Released around the same time as the album with which it shares the same name, and a certain viewer’s enjoyment of it. Paradox will depend largely on their attachment to the artist it celebrates, and all but die-hard fans will gain little from the experience.

6

Murderer

The film was released in 2017.

One of the few Netflix Westerns filmed abroad. Murderer is a fascinating dive into non-American culture’s understanding of the Wild West on a level not seen since the great spaghetti westerns of yore. The film follows a reclusive alien named Shaggy, who lives alone on the edge of a domesticated society. Seeking to uncover the truth behind his adoptive father’s disappearance, Shaggy enters civilization for the first time in his life, becoming a fearsome marksman along the way.

Murderer not only filmed in Brazil, but also set there, exploring the lawless state of Pernambuco in the early to mid-20th century. The film shows a clear understanding of what makes typical Western revenge work, while at the same time bringing its own unique Brazilian flavor to the mix. Diogo Morgado gives a compelling performance as the beast Shaggy, conveying the fierce tenacity of a creature raised outside the watchful eye of human society. While this may be a bit typical of a Western, Murderer as steady as Shaggy’s rifle scope.

5

Tar

The film will be released in 2022.

Netflix’s second international take on the typical Western. Tar spices up the typical formula of the genre a bit while also being an Indian crime thriller. A neo-western set in the present day, the film centers on Siddharth, a lonely city rascal who finds himself at the center of a deadly investigation in a remote Indian village on the edge of the Thar Desert, where the film is set. its name. Siddharth teams up with local cop Surekha Singh to quell a mysterious spate of murders before things get out of hand.

One of the best Indian action films on Netflix. Tar also provides the platform with one of the best Westerns, even though it’s not actually set in the American West. The film has all the trappings of a great neo-western, gradually eroding the thrilling mystery that makes the story interesting. At the same time, Tar features compelling character dynamics and a superb performance from Anil Kapoor as Inspector Surekha Singh, with the actual narrative subtly stretched across the bleak horizon of the Thar Desert itself.

4

Concrete cowboy

The film was released in 2020.

Not every Western has to be filled with blood, guts and lead on the same level as films like Tar, as proven Concrete cowboy. A thoughtful, tender coming-of-age story Concrete cowboy Idris Elba plays Harp, an African-American cowboy living in a unique Western culture located in Philadelphia. During the summer, Harp is visited by his estranged son, Cole, to ingratiate himself with his unique community while teaching him some valuable lessons about responsibility and inner strength.

Between the more urban setting and the relative lack of violence, Concrete cowboy it doesn’t seem like, on paper, it should be as effective as a Western. However, Harp’s gritty drama and his relationship with his son create a quietly brilliant atmosphere that the film could benefit from. Elba is great as always, but Caleb McLaughlin also relishes the rare chance to shine outside Very strange things. Concrete cowboy It may go against the grain of what a Western actually is, but its compelling drama makes up for its dubious place in the genre.

3

The power of the dog

The film was released in 2021.

Although deep dialogue Brokeback Mountain may forever cement itself as the greatest Western to explore LGBT themes, it has a true modern rival in The power of the dog. The film features a brilliant performance from Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank, a hardened rancher whose brother, played by Jesse Plemons, brings home a new wife and adopted son. Phil is relentlessly harsh towards the new influences in his life, although his rough exterior eventually gives way to a rare chance at a tender romance with his new step-nephew.

Unlike most Netflix originals, The power of the dog received critical acclaim, earning a staggering 12 Academy Award nominations and even earning director Jane Campion. From the acting to the powerful themes that are rarely discussed in films in general, let alone Westerns, it’s easy to see why the film struck such a chord with so many. At the same time, The power of the dog perhaps a little overrated by academic evaluators, replete with predictable plot twists, glacial pacing and startlingly obvious visual metaphors that aren’t as clever as the film makes them seem.

2

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The film was released in 2018.

One of the last releases of the legendary cinematic duo of the Coen brothers., The Ballad of Buster Scruggs opens up new possibilities for what the Western genre is capable of. A rare Western anthology film. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs consists of several short stories, each delivering quirky dark comedy, meditative contemplation of human nature, or thrilling gunplay. More often than not, the creepy stories weave together all three, especially the first short, which follows the Bugs Bunny-style adventures of famed legendary gunslinger Buster Scruggs.

The film features some of the Coen Brothers’ finest comedic talents while maintaining their penchant for dark stories filled with misery, death, and misery. As different as the vignettes are, they all maintain a single thematic thread that maintains a well-defined tone throughout the experience, featuring hardened trackers, cheerful prospectors and down-on-his-luck outlaws who feel as if they belong to more or less the same world. That said, as with any anthology, some stories are stronger than others, making for an uneven experience when compared to the best Netflix original Western.

1

The harder they fall

The film was released in 2021.

When it comes to traditional Western films, it would be hard to find a better representative in the 2020s than The harder they fall. A typical revenge story of the genre, the film follows the adventures of Nat Love Jonathan Majors, an outlaw who stalks the West with an iron finger on his trigger. When he discovers that the man who killed his parents, Rufus Black (played by Idris Elba), has been released from prison, he gets his old gang back together to take revenge.

The harder they fall It may be a fairly standard Western in terms of plot, but it manages to perfectly describe why stories like itself are still worth telling even in the modern era. From Nat Love Majors to Rufus Black Elba and Stagecoach Mary Zazie Beetz, the cast is filled with heavy hitters who resonate with each other to convey a grandiose finished project that rivals the best revenge films. Thanks to the sheer kineticism of James Samuel’s careful direction, The harder they fall easily beats Netflix West library.