Western movies are gradually becoming popular once again on both the big and small screens with TV shows like Yellowstone, The Mandalorian, and Deadwood driving a resurgence. The Western genre is one of the oldest genres to appear on film, going as far back as the late 1800s and early 1900s. The mid-90s were the Golden Age of Western movies and series, with the genre experiencing a decline from the 70s.
Yet, during its golden age and decline, some great Western movies didn’t get the appreciation they truly deserved. Some have, over time, aged well, while others remain underrated or unappreciated. For old and new audiences to the genre, here are the 10 best underrated Western movies to catch up on.
10. The Walking Hills (1949)
The late 1940s may have been the golden age of Western movies, but with lots of classics and favorites, The Walking Hills went unnoticed. The movie, directed by John Sturges, is an American Western that goes beyond the traditional gunfights, outlaws, and horse riding. The movie’s plot follows a group of nine individuals who discover, over a poker game, that there are gold bars worth $5 million lost about 100 years ago in the shifting dunes area of Walking Hills. Although they agree to work together to find the buried gold, greed, love, and search for justice soon divide them.
9. 100 Rifles (1969)
100 Rifles is an American Western movie based on the 1966 novel The Californio by Robert MacLeod. The movie is set in 1912 and has an African-American, Jim Brown, as one of its lead characters. It also stars Burt Reynolds (his fifth film) and Raquel Welch.
The movie’s plot revolves around the characters of these actors, with Brown playing Arizona lawman Sheriff Lyedecker, Reynolds as bank robber Yaqui Joe, and Welch as Indian revolutionary Sarita. Yaqui Joe steals $6,000 from the bank to buy 100 rifles for his Yaqui people’s freedom and liberation. Sheriff Lyedecker, determined to catch Yaqui Joe, chases after him until the duo meets up with Sarita.
8. The Missing (2003)
Released in 2003, The Missing is another underrated Western movie with an amazing storyline and cast. The movie is based on the 1996, The Last Ride, by Thomas Eidson. It stars Tommy Lee Jones, Cate Blanchett, and Simon Baker. The movie tells the story of a man, Samuel Jones Tommy Lee Jones), seeking forgiveness from his daughter, Maggie (Cate Blanchett), whom he abandoned decades ago with her mother. When El Brujo and his gang raid Maggie’s village, Maggie solicits help from her father to help rescue her kidnapped older daughter.
7. The Proposition (2005)
The Proposition (2005) is unarguably one of the most underrated Australian Western films. Although it did decently at the Box Office, it does get as much recognition in the Western genre as it deserves. It tells the story of two brothers in the 1880s who, after being caught by Captain Morris Stanley, offer a condition for their freedom. Stanley gives the older of the two brothers, Charlie Burns, nine days to find and kill their eldest brother Arthur Burns, who has been charged with rape and murder. Failure to do this, Stanley plans to execute Charlie’s younger brother, Mikey Burns, on the ninth day, which is Christmas day.
6. Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
Even for non-Western genre audiences, Cowboys & Aliens (2011) is one of the most popular Western movies in recent years. The Jon Favreau science fiction Western action film starred Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, and Sam Rockwell. As the name implies, the story follows the battle between cowboys and aliens invading Earth. The cowboys, a wanted outlaw, a ruthless cattle Baron, and a sheriff must put aside their differences to destroy the aliens.
5. Rango (2011)
As far as Western computer-animated Western movies go, 2011 Rango is far too underrated. Although there are few computer-animated Western movies, Rango stands out for its quality of cast and storyline. It became the first non-Pixar and Disney movie to win Best Animated Feature at the 2012 Oscars. The last time such happened was in 2006 with Happy Feet. Rango is packed with a star-studded voice cast that includes Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Bill Nighy, and Timothy Olyphant.
4. The Salvation (2014)
The Salvation is a Danish Western movie set in America towards the end of the 1800s. It tells the story of one man’s revenge for his murdered wife and son and the counter-revenge of a notorious gang leader. When a town’s law enforcement is enmeshed in corruption, Jon takes it upon himself to find justice for his wife and son and cleanse a town from the shackles of a notorious gang leader and land baron.
3. The Ridiculous 6 (2015)
It’s not all action and science fiction with American Western movies. Western audiences can get a good laugh with The Ridiculous 6 Western Comedy. It stars Adam Sandler, Will Forte, Terry Crews, Rob Schneider, and Luke Wilson. Although The Ridiculous 6 is one of few movies to get 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, it set a record on Netflix viewership. While Adam Sandler is yet to break his Oscars curse, he continues to star in successful films. The Ridiculous 6 is an underrated Western comedy that often gets overlooked.
2. Bone Tomahawk (2015)
Bone Tomahawk is one of the proofs that a star-studded cast does not always translate to box office success. Although the movie did poorly at the Box Office, it’s one of those Western movies that tend to age well in the future. The movie revolves around a town’s sheriff, who leads a posse to recover three captured townspeople from a cave-dwelling, inbred cannibalistic Native Americans. The movie’s cast includes Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, and Lili Simmons.
1. The Duel (2016)
The Duel is set in 1887 and follows its main protagonist Texas Ranger David Kingston. Governor Ross sends Kingston to investigate the murder and disappearance of Mexicans in Mount Hermon. Kingston is also charged with finding and rescuing a Mexican General’s niece. Kingston blends in by accepting a job offer as the town sheriff to enable him to carry out his investigation. What he discovers puts his life and that of his wife in jeopardy. Although it stars Woody Harrelson, Liam Hemsworth, and Alice Braga, it is one of the underrated Western movies.
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