Few Westerns, particularly those set in the Old West, are as brutally violent as Bone Tomahawk and the new Netflix series American Primeval. American Primeval was written by Mark L. Smith, who co-wrote the screenplay for The Revenant with Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor) directs all six episodes of American Primeval. Taylor Kitsch leads an ensemble cast as Isaac Reed, which features Betty Gilpin, Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Shea Whigham, Lucas Neff, and Kim Coates as Brigham Young. In addition to Young, American Primeval alters several real-life historical details and figures.
Like American Primeval, Bone Tomahawk is unafraid to get gory, setting up some thrilling combat action sequences. Even though the film was released in 2015, Bone Tomahawk is original enough to feel fresh and original. Featuring a strong ensemble of Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, and David Arquette, Bone Tomahawk leans heavily into the horror genre while taking place in the American Old West. Russell plays Hunt, a sheriff who leads a posse against cave-dwelling cannibals in the peaceful western town of Bright Hope during the late 1800s.
American Primeval Repeats Bone Tomahawk's Western Violence More Than Other Modern Westerns I've Seen
Both Westerns border on the horror genre with their brutal displays of violence
Both American Primeval and Bone Tomahawk feature lots of deaths in a variety of ways, from fistfights and gunfights to full-blown Western combat. From the opening scene of Bone Tomahawk, viewers know exactly what they're getting into with the first kill arriving in the opening scene just seconds into the film. On the other hand, American Primeval sets the stage for violence early but not in the opening scene. Since it has more room to work with as a 6-part miniseries, American Primeval holds off from diving straight into the violence to introduce Sara and the other characters. Once the Mountain Meadows Massacre takes place, however, there's no question what type of series it will be.
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While American Primeval and Bone Tomahawk are undoubtedly violent series, they aren't reduced or defined by the over-the-top gore and brutality. In fact, the overt violence is meant to illustrate the dangerous nature of the lawless land that each of the films takes place in. The violence isn't included just for the sake of it and actually adds a sense of palpable fear that actual American travelers and settlers at the time would reasonably feel. Without having local law enforcement officers respond to emergencies and attacks, both American Primeval and Bone Tomahawk demonstrate how the Old West is the perfect setting for real-world horror.
Why American Primeval & Bone Tomahawk's Brutality Is So Important
It captures an accurate sense of danger in the early Old West setting
American Primeval and Bone Tomahawk prove the simple brutality of living in these types of lawless and uncivilized conditions. There's no glamor, no heroism, just pure survival instincts driving each character forward at all costs, which was the reality for a lot of people from that time. Bone Tomahawk still has classic movie elements for the sake of audience accessibility, while American Primeval is just about as gritty as a Western series can be. Some of the filming techniques, such as the lighting design, camera angles, and costume design, are closely inspired by horror movies as opposed to classic John Wayne and Clint Eastwood Westerns.
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Violence in film and television is one of the most effective ways to leave a lasting image. After seeing Pratt nearly have the skin above his skull served off with a blade, viewers will likely have a hard time unseeing such a graphic image even though he lived to tell the tale (for a time). The same goes for classic war movies with unforgettable character deaths. The brutal violence is so appalling for modern viewers but was a part of life for the people who the characters in American Primeval and Bone Tomahawk represent. While both are meant to entertain, they also are a reminder of the gruesome and primitive nature of life in America that took place not all that long ago.
American Primeval Doesn't Outdo Bone Tomahawk's Most Brutal Scene (& I'm OK With That)
Nick's death scene is Bone Tomahawk is hard to watch
Certain vicious scenes in American Primeval make Bone Tomahawk look tame. However, Nick's death is unquestionably worse and more unsettling to witness than anything that American Primeval has to offer. Nick (Evan Jonigkeit) was a deputy of Kurt Russell's Sheriff Hunt who was brutalized by two cave-swelling cannibals. For those who haven't seen the scene or skipped ahead (around the 1-hour 36-minute mark in Bone Tomahawk), Nick had the top of his head skinned by cannibals before being severed alive. It's one of the most horrid mutilations I've ever seen in any film or series, making Pratt's scene in American Primeval less disturbing by comparison.
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American Primeval is a Netflix limited series that follows the lives of several men and women in the middle of the expansion of the American West. Social dynamics clash as men and women battle for a piece of the new world against rivals and each other.
Release Date
January 9, 2025
Network
Netflix
Cast
Taylor Kitsch
, Jai Courtney
, Dane DeHaan
, Betty Gilpin
, Nick Hargrove
, Kyle Bradley Davis
, Derek Hinkey
, Saura Lightfoot Leon
, Preston Mota
, Shawnee Pourier
, Joe Tippett
Character(s)
Isaac
, Sara Rowell
, Gant
, Buffalo Run
, Jacob Pratt
, Abish Pratt
, Red Feather
, James Wolsey
, Virgil Cutter
, Two Moons
, Jim Bridger
Creator(s)
Peter Berg
, Eric Newman
, Mark L. Smith
Producers
Eric Newman
, Mark L. Smith
Seasons
1
Writers
Peter Berg
, Eric Newman
, Mark L. Smith
Directors
Peter Berg
Custom Image by Yeider Chacon
English (US) ·