The Harder They Fall (2021) Review

 
The Harder They Fall (2021)

The Harder They Fall follows Nat Love, who after discovering that the man who killed his parents is released from prison, reunites his old gang to seek revenge. 

I don’t think I’ve ever come across a Western I didn’t like, and The Harder They Fall keeps that streak going in stylistically, brutal fashion. This proverbial who’s who of legendary black outlaws, gunslingers, and lawmen, takes many of the most famous African American cowboys from history and throws them into one giant pot, in one what is probably one of the most fun Westerns to come out since Django Unchained. And it’s not just exciting like Django—all of the same brutality, swagger, and stunning visual elements are there to make this as exciting as it is charismatic. 

It really touches on the question of what is fair? In a world where seemingly everything goes, can one maintain a righteous living in an unrighteous world? So much of the film anchors itself on revenge but what we come to see is that revenge is all about perspective. Sure, Nat was justified in wanting revenge for the murder of his mother and father, but Rufus should also be given the same justification in killing his father for the murder of his mother. Harder They Fall really blurs the lines of what’s good and what’s right, and aside from being a show-stopping thriller, that is one of its most genius elements. 

We also get an electrifying cast, starring Deon Cole, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi, RJ Cyler, Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, Idris Elba, and Jonathan Majors. In a cast full of standouts, it’s incredibly hard to narrow it down but I absolutely loved what we got out of Lindo, Stanfield, and Majors. While heavily fictionalized, their characterizations of these real life individuals were riveting and a true joy to watch here. 

The Harder They Fall, directed by Jeymes Samuel, is a riveting tale of family, revenge, and style that, while playing it fast and very loose with history, opens the door to the very real historical relevance of African American cowboys and their role in the Wild West. 

8.8/10