The Western genre has been a popular onesince the very emergence of the cinematic medium.While Westerns existed since the era of silent films likeThe Great Train Robberyin 1908, the genre really took off in earnest thanks to the series of collaborations betweenJohn FordandJohn Wayne, which began with the 1939 classicStagecoach. While it’s often thought of as one of the most quintessentially “American” genres, many of the best westerns ever made were made or produced outside of the United States.
It’s been fascinating tosee how the Western genre has evolvedover the course of the last century, as different perspectives have made it far more tangible to a wider set of viewers. Just because a film doesn’t technically take place in the “Wild West” doesn’t mean that it’s not Western; the themes of isolation, lonesome outlaws, and frontier justice are applicable to many different cultures. Here are some of the most underrated international Westerns.
10‘Django’ (1966)
Produced in Italy
The term “spaghetti western”often refers to the style of Italian Westerns that became popular in the 1960s and generally included more over-the-top violence and action than the classical westerns that were produced in the United States.Sergio Leoneis often credited with kickstarting the genre with his masterpiecesThe Good, The Bad, and The UglyandOnce Upon a Time in the West, butDjangodeserves credit for ushering in a new wave of spaghetti westerns.
Djangois a beautifully unpolished film that is not afraid to get very brutal,so it’s perhaps somewhat understandable why its commercial prospects were relatively slim. Nonetheless, it became a cult classic, made a star out ofFranco Nero, and continued to inspire sequels, reboots, spinoffs, and parodies to this day.Quentin Tarantinoeven paid tribute to the film’s legacy with his Oscar-winning 2012 Western,Django Unchained.
9‘Lady Snowblood’ (1973)
Produced in Japan
The Samurai genre and Western have more than a few things in common, as they both focus on noble warriors who are forced to protect innocent people. While there are many greatAkira Kurosawafilms that ended up inspiring American reimaginings, the 1973 shogun filmLady Snowblooddrew inspiration from Gunslinger films to create an epic feudal adventure.It’s been over five decades since its release,and the martial arts sequencesinLady Snowbloodare still more impressive than most modern action films.
Lady Snowbloodspeaks to modern themes about being an outsider, seeking revenge, and atoning for sins of the past,merging frontier sensibilities with the mythology of Samurai films. It’s also notable as being one of the few classic westerns that spotlights a female lead, proving that the genre has no strict definitions on who can lead their stories.
Lady Snowblood
8‘Quigley Down Under’ (1990)
Produced in Australia
Australia has produced a surprising amount of westerns set in the Outback desert, andQuigley Down Underis definitely one of the genre’s more silly entries.Shortly after his success withMagnum P.I.on television,Tom Selleckstarred as the titular gunslinger,who finds romance and danger once he travels to Australia. Selleck’s magnanimous star power is pretty hard to deny, butQuigley Down Underalso features a delightfully absurd performance from the late greatAlan Rickman, who has a scene-stealing role as the main villain.
Although there’s some surprisingly depthful ideas about the mistreatment of native people,Quigley Down Underembraces the absurdities of the western genreand thankfully doesn’t take itself too seriously. Australian westerns tend to be in the darker vein ofMad Max, butQuigley Down Underis a great introduction to the subgenre for audiences of all ages.
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7‘Desperado’ (1995)
Produced in Mexico
DirectorRobert Rodriguezbroke new ground in the independent film industry with his debut film,El Mariachi, which was famously filmed on a shoestring budget.Rodriguez chose to make a non-traditional sequel toEl MariachiwithDesperado, which gaveAntonio Banderasthe breakout role of his career. Production of the film was quite intense, asBanderas nearly lost his lifeduring the filming of the now iconic rooftop explosion sequence.
The practical swordplay and gun battles inDesperadomake it very exciting,and Banderas couldn’t be more charismatic in a role that he was born to play. Rodriguez always inserts a snarky sense of humor into his films, andDesperadogets some added laughs thanks to a memorable cameo fromSteve Buscemi.While it never rose above being a “cult hit,” Rodriguez did return to the franchise for the underrated three-part seriesOnce Upon a Time in Mexico.
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6‘The Proposition’ (2005)
Easily one of the most brutal westerns ever made,The Propositionis a haunting revenge thriller that addresses thegenerational mistreatment of indigenous people by colonists.This Australian neo-western was both written and composed by musicianNick Cave, whose lyrical and existentialist influence made it far more enticing than many of its contemporaries. WhileGuy Pearceserved as a perfectly ruthless protagonist, the malevolent performance fromRay Winstonejoins the ranks of the all-time great western villains.
The Propositionis almost definitely bleak and violent, and it is certainly not intended for viewers who are averse to seeing graphic content. Nonetheless, directorJohn Hillcoatgrounds the story in powerful themes about the fractionation of family values that justify its more extreme elements.The Propositionis the perfect introduction to the Australian western genre and likely will not be an experience that viewers will forget about anytime soon.
The Proposition
5‘Monsters’ (2010)
Produced in Great Britain
DirectorGareth Edwardshas become a franchise king in recent years thanks to his work on 2014’sGodzilla,Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and the currently untitled new installment in the ongoingJurassic Worldfranchise. However, Edwards’ directorial debut,Monsters,was a science fiction western that used a disastrous post-apocalyptic event as a stand-in for a new western frontier.As with all of Edwards’ work in the science fiction genre,Monstersfindsa creative way of blending practical effects with computer-generated imagery.
Monsterscenters on an unusual western protagonist, as the story follows a cynical reporter (Scoot McNairy) who helps an innocent girl travel across the border to Mexico during the midst of an alien invasion. It’s quite suspenseful as a road trip movie, and McNairy’s powerful performance makes the spectacle feel grounded in genuine human emotion.
4‘The Rover’ (2014)
TheMad Maxfranchise may have popularized the idea of the Australian post-apocalyptic western, butThe Roverwas a welcome reinvention of the ideas that George Miller had established starting in 1979.Set in the aftermath of an economic collapse,The Rovercenters on a nearly silent veteran (Guy Pearce) who kidnaps a robber (Robert Pattinson)who had attempted to steal his car with his brothers. They forge an unlikely partnership as their travels across the Outback turn into an epic quest for revenge.
The Roveris anchored by its powerful performances; Pearce subtly hints at his character’s tragic backstory in a manner that is heartbreaking, andPattinson showed his depth as an actoras a character with severe mental deficiencies. It may be easy to compareThe Roverto theMad Maxfilms, but directorDavid Michodsuccessfully builds his own universe that is far more compelling than any cheaply produced knockoff.
3‘Slow West’ (2015)
Produced in Scotland
An early example of A24’s ability to spotlight unusual projects from up-and-coming filmmakers,Slow Westis a darkly hilarious western adventurethat satirizes masculine archetypesthat are common in classical interpretations of the genre. The film centers on a love-stricken Scottish boy (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who seeks the help of a bounty hunter (Michael Fassbender) as he travels west to find his true love. Their adventure becomes far more dangerous when a ruthless killer (Ben Mendeloshn) begins following them.
Slow Westis successful as both a romance and a coming-of-age storyand succeeds in showing a different perspective on the fundamental qualities of the genre. Smit-McPhee is hilariously sincere, and Fassbender gives a slyly subversive performance that helps the film pull off a major twist in its third act.Slow Westis so packed with interesting visual ideas that it is a shame that writer/directorJohn Macleanhas not made a new film since.
2‘Never Grow Old’ (2019)
Co-produced in Mexico
Whilerevisionist Westerns are often packed with interesting works of social commentary,Never Grow Oldis a haunting revenge thriller that examines the true horror of religious fundamentalism.The film follows the mysterious drifter Patrick Tate (Emile Hirsch), who is forced to face off with the ruthless Christian leader Dutch Albert (John Cusack) when he ventures to California. Patrick soon discovers that he is an outsider, as Dutch has managed to bend the entire community to his will.
Never Grow Oldfeatures moments so extreme that it at times feels like a horror film, even if its setting and themes ground it exclusively in the Western genre. It’s also a brilliant example of subversive casting; Cusack is best known for his charming roles in films likeSay Anything, High Fidelity,andGrosse Pointe Blank, so seeing him as a relentless villain comes as a major shock.
Never Grow Old
An Irish undertaker profits when outlaws take over a peaceful American frontier town, but his family comes under threat as the death toll rises.
1‘Strange Way of Life’ (2023)
Produced in Spain
Pedro Almodovaris one of the greatest living filmmakers, so it’s somewhat surprising that the short filmStrange Way of Lifewas his first western. Despite running just over 30 minutes in length,Strange Way of Lifeis a thrilling throwback to classic westernsthat features all the heightened emotions that one would expect from an Almodovar film.Ethan HawkeandPedro Pascalstar as former lovers who cross paths after an extended period of time, only to be drawn into a quarrel between gangs of bandits.
Despite being given a limited theatrical release in the United States,Strange Way of Lifewas snubbed for an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film.Nonetheless, the film proved that Almodovar was perfectly suited to make a western, so hopefully he will return to the genre for his next full-length feature project.
