In the wild, wild world of westerns, there’s always a standout surprise waiting to lasso your attention. Seraphim Falls may not be one of them, but this forgotten Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson flick has galloped up the Netflix charts this week.
Directed by David von Ancken and penned by Ancken and Abby Everett Jaques, Seraphim Falls boasts a cast that’s as rugged as the frontier itself. With Brosnan and Neeson leading the charge, the cast also features Michael Wincott, Tom Noonan, and Ed Lauter.
The official blurb of Seraphim Falls reads: “A former Confederate colonel leads a posse into the mountainous American West on a hunt for an ex-Union officer who committed a wartime atrocity.”
Set against the backdrop of the untamed American West, Seraphim Falls spins a yarn as old as time—that of revenge and redemption. Brosnan stars as Gideon, a man haunted by his past and chased by Neeson’s relentless bounty hunter, Carver, who’s hell-bent on settling an old score. It’s a high-stakes but ultimately bleak game of cat and mouse marked by breathtaking cinematography from the legendary John Toll (the man behind the lens in Legends of the Fall and Braveheart). From sweeping vistas to intimate showdowns, Toll’s lens captures the harsh beauty of the Western landscape and presents a visual feast.
Speaking to Black Film, Neeson explained the thematic connection between Star Wars and Seraphim Falls, “Because it deals with myth and mythology…that’s what Star Wars was all about, the Western myth.” Neeson also spoke about his shared love for Westerns with Brosnan, “Both Pierce and myself grew up avidly watching Westerns, especially John Ford. He kind of invented the American Western myth.”
However, Neeson was quick to dismiss any ideas of onset rivalry stemming from their fictional counterparts, “We became good buddies. I think we’re good solid pros. We didn’t wear our method acting hats at all in this one.”
Whether you’re here to try and catch a glimpse of friendly fire or simply lose yourself in the charm of past, there’s a bit of fun to be had, even if it is without much artistic merit.
You can watch Seraphim Falls on Netflix and catch the trailer here:
