Hell or High Water

Amongst the films at last year's Oscars that divided opinion, Hell or High Water was one film that generally seemed liked by all even if it failed to pick up any awards. Before that, the trailers had me engaged in a modern western where two brothers pick-up the old tradition of bank robbing to support their family while being hunted down by seasoned police officers.

There's no denying that this film is simple to explain but David Mackenzie's direction oozes this story with depth to really make his vision of a withering Texas come to life. The story jumps straight into the action with Chris Pine and Ben Foster making a quick, clean getaway before planning where to go next. This question also falls on the mind of an ageing Jeff Bridges' officer who seems to be searching for any reason to dodge retirement, even if it means waiting outside various banks all day.

It is a bleak premise as we see the brothers pushed to the point of threatening innocent people with their lives with the intention to improving their life, however Hell or High Water manages to avoid this and we do form an element of sympathy for Pine and Foster. This is partly aided through their excellent chemistry which requires very few words.

Now here's the part where I would list what else the film does well while also listing its short comings or reasons why this might not be to everyone's tastes. However, unless the idea of a modern western isn't your thing, this is a fantastic film with excellent acting, writing and direction that I can't fault it. So I guess onto the conclusion...

It is refreshing to say that here is an Oscar film I would certainly want to watch again. Most can leave you in a cold state of mind having experienced something you might not want to go through again but that's certainly not the case here. Mackenzie strikes the perfect balance between drama, action and neat touches of humour to keep the story feeling human. Hell or High Water is one of 2016's best films and I can strongly recommend checking this one out.