10 Worst Western Movies Of Past 20 Years

Nihilism and suffering certainly has its place in the Old West. For a time, it was a place where people did whatever they pleased before the law came along and brought civilization with it. More than any other film on this list, Brimstone explores the darkest elements of the frontier.

It's a story told across four acts in which we follow Liz (Dakota Fanning), a mute mid-wife who suffers at the hands of a psychotic preacher (played by Guy Pierce). With the narrative being told out of order, Brimstone often feels very experimental and as a result, it was met with a very mixed reception from critics at the time.

The film is also notable for causing some controversy over its submission to the Venice International Film Festival in 2016 over its extreme violence. In comparison with its contemporaries it certainly goes darker than most. The end result however, leaves much to be desired.

Despite boasting a relatively strong cast, Brimstone is ultimately too long and too visceral to get its point across. Because the film is so dedicated towards its exploitative tone, it's difficult to get attached to the characters and the plight they all go through. While it attempts to ape Tarantino in some ways, you're better off sticking to Django and The Hateful Eight.