The Western genre, marked by the dusty trails of cowboy culture, has seen a modern renaissance, reinterpreting traditional themes through a contemporary lens.
These new Westerns showcase an innovative storytelling approach, incorporating rich character development and moral complexities while retaining the rawness and grit of the old frontier. They boast breathtaking cinematography, stellar performances, and storylines that blur the line between good and evil.
We have rounded up the best modern Western films that have elevated the genre to a whole new level, casting an intriguing light on familiar landscapes while exploring themes that resonate with today’s audiences.
So, saddle up and join us on a cinematic ride through the best modern Western movies.
1. Hell or High Water (2016)
| IMDb Rating: | 7.6 |
| Where to Watch: | Fubo, Hulu, Prime Video |
From Taylor Sheridan, the mastermind behind Yellowstone (2018-present), Hell or High Water is a must-watch neo-Western crime drama. Thanks to its moving performances and well-crafted storyline, the film received critical acclaim and was selected by the American Film Institute as one of its ten Movies of the Year.
Brothers Toby and Tanner Howard resort to robbing banks in hopes to save their coveted family ranch. As they plan a series of daring heists the duo must deal with the threat of two Texas Rangers pursuing their trail of crimes.
2. The Hateful Eight (2015)
| IMDb Rating: | 7.8 |
| Where to Watch: | Netflix |
The epic Western The Hateful Eight combines action, violence, and humor for a memorable film taking place in post-Civil War America. Bounty hunter John “The Hangman” Ruth and his fugitive prisoner encounter another bounty hunter and a man claiming to be a sheriff as they travel to the town of Red Rock, Wyoming.
As the unusual group seeks shelter from an impending blizzard, they travel on a stagecoach to a cabin inhabited by four nefarious characters. Now a group of eight travelers, they realize they might not arrive at their destination after all.
3. The Power of the Dog (2021)
| IMDb Rating: | 6.8 |
| Where to Watch: | Netflix |
The Power of the Dog is based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name. The award-winning revisionist Western psychological drama deals with the emotions of love, grief, resentment, and jealousy.
Rancher Phil Burbank manages to instill both awe and fear in those around him. When his brother brings home a new wife and child they don’t get a warm welcome from Burback as he acts out by tormenting them. However, when the unexpected comes to pass, he finds himself toying with the possibility of love.
4. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
| IMDb Rating: | 7.3 |
| Where to Watch: | Netflix |
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a Western anthology film following the adventures of outlaws and settlers on the formidable American frontier. The award-winning film captivated critics and viewer audiences alike.
The film consists of six tales from the life and violence of the Wild West. The stories include a singing gunslinger, a bank robber, a traveling impresario, a prospector, a wagon train, and a duo of bounty hunters.
5. The Homesman (2014)
| IMDb Rating: | 6.6 |
| Where to Watch: | Netflix |
While The Homesman may not have received the same recognition as some of the other movies on this list, its powerful characters and riveting storyline make it a must-watch. The film, based on a novel of the same name, received many positive critic reviews and took home three awards.
Driven by the harsh realities of pioneer life, three women seek transportation to a church in Iowa that helps the mentally ill. When no man steps up to help the woman, independent and strong-willed Mary Bee Cuddy takes responsibility with the help of a man she rescued.
6. Django Unchained (2012)
| IMDb Rating: | 8.4 |
| Where to Watch: | Paramount+ |
Django Unchained left a mark on modern Westerns for being bold, bloody, and stylized. Two years before the Civil War, a slave named Django accompanies an unusual German bounty hunter by the name of Dr. King Schultz on the quest to capture the notorious Brittle brothers.
Upon completing a successful mission, Schultz frees Django, and the two hunt the South’s most-wanted criminals. Their journeys take them to the plantation of Calvin Candie, where Django is determined to free his wife.
7. True Grit (2010)
| IMDb Rating: | 7.6 |
| Where to Watch: | Prime Video, Paramount+ |
A remake of the 1969 classic, True Grit has become one of the most notable modern Westerns. Combining strong performances and stunning cinematography, the film is a must-watch for Western enthusiasts.
Feisty 14-year-old Mattie Ross hires trigger-happy lawman Rooster Cogburn to help her avenge her father’s death after he was murdered. A Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf joins the unlikely duo as he is searching for the murderer for his own reasons.
8. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
| IMDb Rating: | 7.7 |
| Where to Watch: | Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max |
The second adaption of Elmore Leonard’s story “Three-Ten to Yuma”, this riveting Western drama stands out for its passionate performances. In an epic battle of wills, 3:10 to Yuma will have you on the edge of your seat.
Outlaw Ben Wade terrorizes Arizona before finally being captured. Dan Evans, the owner of a drought-stricken ranch, volunteers to escort Ben to the train for his trial with danger looming at every turn of their epic journey.
9. Appaloosa (2008)
| IMDb Rating: | 6.7 |
| Where to Watch: | Prime Video |
Appaloosa is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Robert B. Parker. With intriguing psychology and a captivating love triangle, Appaloosa sets itself apart from other modern Westerns.
Friends and partners Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch travel to the small town of Appaloosa which is being terrorized by rancher Randall Bragg. As Bragg has killed the town’s sheriff, Cole and Hitch attempt to put an end to Bragg’s terror but their plans are complicated by an unconventional widow.
10. Deadwood: The Movie (2019)
| IMDb Rating: | 7.4 |
| Where to Watch: | HBO Max, DirecTV |
Deadwood: The Movie is a continuation of the beloved TV series Deadwood which ran from 2004 to 2006. The film reunites the majority of the cast in this epic Western story.
As South Dakota celebrates its statehood in 1889, past and present residents of Deadwood gather to take part in the celebrations. However, despite the grand celebration, saloon owner Al Swearengen and Marshal Seth Bullock clash with Senator George Hearst.
11. The Revenant (2015)
| IMDb Rating: | 8 |
| Where to Watch: | Prime Video |
The Revenant is a harsh yet moving film inspired by true events as told in the 2002 novel of the same name. Noted for its cinematography and impressive performances, the film took home three Golden Globes.
In the unforgiving, uncharted wilderness of the 1820s, Hugh Glass must survive the brutal injuries of a bear attack on his own after his hunting team abandons him. Utilizing his survival skills, he does everything he can to make it back to civilization to seek revenge on the man who betrayed him.
12. Bone Tomahawk (2015)
| IMDb Rating: | 7.1 |
| Where to Watch: | Roku, Hoopla, Tubu, Pluto TV |
As a chilling Western/horror film, Bone Tomahawk offers gripping performances. While not for the faint of heart, the film gained positive critical feedback.
An elderly small-town sheriff teams up with a gunslinger, a cowboy, and a deputy as they set out to save a group of kidnapped people. As the kidnapped people are taken by a tribe of cannibalistic cave dwellers, the rescue mission takes a gory turn.
13. Open Range (2003)
| IMDb Rating: | 7.4 |
| Where to Watch: | Prime Video |
Open Range is based on the 1990 novel called The Open Range Men. The film expertly depicts the challenges cowboys and settlers faced in the Wild West, including shootouts, drama, action, and romance.
Former soldier turned cattleman “Boss” Spearman and his crew are moving cattle across the country when they must take arms against a hostile land baron. As violence erupts between the townspeople and open rangers, the two sides must work to navigate life in the Wild West.
14. Wind River (2017)
| IMDb Rating: | 7.7 |
| Where to Watch: | Vudu, Hoopla, Redbox, Pluto TV |
Wind River is a critically acclaimed neo-Western crime film. The chilling film deals with the real-life issue of Indigenous women who are raped and murdered every year.
After the murder of a young Indigenous woman, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracker, and an FBI agent team up to solve the murder. They travel to the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming to try and find the suspect but soon discover their own lives are in danger.
15. Hostiles (2017)
| IMDb Rating: | 7.2 |
| Where to Watch: | Hulu |
Based on a story by Donald E. Stewart, Hostiles benefits from stunning visuals and moving performances. Legendary Army Captain Joseph Blocker agrees to escort a dying Cheyenne war chief and his family back to their homeland.
On their journey, they come across a young widow whose family was killed by Commanche warriors. They now band together to make a dangerous journey to Montana.
16. The Harder They Fall (2021)
| IMDb Rating: | 6.6 |
| Where to Watch: | Netflix |
The Harder They Fall is an exciting Western drama that features a great cast and beautiful cinematography. Receiving positive audience and critic reviews, the film went on to win multiple awards.
Nat Love was just 11 years old when Rufus Buck and his associate Cortez killed his parents and carved a cross on his forehead. After killing Cortez 20 years later, Love now rounds up his gang to seek revenge against Buck as he learns he has been freed from prison.
17. News of the World (2020)
| IMDb Rating: | 6.8 |
| Where to Watch: | Freevee |
News of the World is a moving, powerful tale that is a wonderful addition to the Western genre. The Western/adventure film received positive feedback for its acting performances and cinematography.
Five years after the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd is forced to return a 10-year-old girl to her aunt and uncle after she was taken by the Kiowa people. Together they face the unforgiving plains of Texas as danger lurks at every corner in the form of both human and nature.
18. Slow West (2015)
| IMDb Rating: | 6.9 |
| Where to Watch: | HBO Max, Kanopy, DirecTV |
Slow West is a stylized Revisionist Western film that is a change of pace from traditional Westerns. The movie follows a young Scottish man named Jay Cavendish as he searches for his lost love in the American West.
A bounty hunter named Silas Selleck offers to serve as Jay’s guide as he searches for his beloved in 1800s Colorado. However, Silas does not reveal his true motives to Jay, complicating their journey.
19. Meek’s Cutoff (2010)
| IMDb Rating: | 6.5 |
| Where to Watch: | Paramount+, Fubo, Prime Video, Showtime |
Loosely based on a historical incident on the Oregon Trail, Meek’s Cutoff showcases terror and survival on the frontier. Frontier guide Stephen Meek leads a group of settlers through the Oregon desert where they become lost with food and water running low.
The settlers are left in a dangerous situation as Meek refuses to admit they may be several weeks off course. With tensions running high, Emily Tetherow offers a captured Native American protection from Meek’s wrath in exchange for leading the group to water.
20. The Magnificent Seven (2016)
| IMDb Rating: | 6.9 |
| Where to Watch: | Prime Video |
A remake of the 1960 hit movie, The Magnificent Seven received praise for its stellar cast and riveting action sequences. In his search for gold, scathing industrialist Bartholomew Bogue takes control of the Old West town of Rose Creek.
After her husband is brutally murdered by Bogue and his men, Emma Cullen seeks out help in the form of bounty hunters. A group of seven gunslingers from different backgrounds band together to take down Bogue and save the town.
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