In the 1870s, a young Harvard dropout seeks his destiny out West by tying his fate to a team of buffalo hunters led by a man named Miller. Together, they embark on a harrowing journey risking life...
In art and literature, the vast wilderness of the American West is often romanticized in a way that paints it as an expansive land of beauty and opportunity. That’s why “Butcher’s Crossing,” adapted for the screen from John Williams’ 1960 novel of the same name, is an interesting addition to the genre. It’s a story that’s bleak yet hopeful, and still has a relevant message that warns of the dangers that come from pillaging and failing to respect nature’s animals and land.
Set in Kansas in 1874, the film tells the story of Will Andrews (Fred Hechinger), a young Harvard drop-out who decides the only way to get a real education is to see the country. Longing to experience all nature has to offer as an active participant, he hires a talented buffalo hunter named Miller (Nicolas Cage) to bring him along on an ambitious expedition in the harsh terrain of the Colorado Rockies. Miller and his small team are planning to set out to find a buffalo herd surrounded by legend, hoping to acquire animal hides that will translate into a massive payday. Along the way, Will faces dangers both physical and psychological as he is thrust into a world of unchecked male ambition, aggression, obsession, and horror.
This epic story is about man’s relationship to his natural environment, and director Gabe Polsky follows the typical arduous journey narrative of classic Westerns. As Miller calmly proceeds to wipe out every single buffalo that he can with a swift indifference, Will’s internal struggle begins. There’s an obsession with getting them all, stopping the hunt only when the whole herd is wiped out. This presents an interesting and different way to tell the story of the sad obliteration of the American buffalo.
There’s a spiritual element to the narrative too, especially as Will begins to question the morality of being consumed so wholly by greed that destruction and inhumanity become the only options. This is a story about the darkness of human nature and the brutal reality of what it entails to make a fortune off nature’s animals, and it helps that the message of conservation is more subtle than in-your-face.
There isn’t much to the story plot-wise, and there are a lot of scenes of shooting and skinning buffalo. The narrative is simple and stretched out which can make it feel slow and repetitive, but it’s never dull or boring. There’s an ironic twist to the story that most will see coming, but it’s still satisfying when it arrives.
Well cast and acted, both Hechinger, Cage, and their supporting roster (Jeremy Bobb, Xander Berkeley, Paul Raci,) are more than capable to carry the material. Cage is nearly unrecognizable, dialing down his usual exaggerated performance style, and Hechinger has a natural naïveté that lends a lost boy charm. The characters still manage to feel thin, and it is not easy to form a connection with their motivations or care that much about a journey that, quite frankly, simply isn’t all that interesting.
A story of masculinity and nature, “Butcher’s Crossing” is a reflection on the past mistakes of men and the human tendency to repeat it all. There isn’t a lot here to prevent the film from fading into total obscurity, but the storytelling angle, performances, sweeping cinematography, and proficient direction make this a quality Western.
