The Harder They Fall movie review: An ensemble cast to die for…literally

I had the opportunity of checking one of Netflix’s upcoming releases, The Harder They Fall. The film follows an outlaw (Jonathan Majors), who finds out that one of his arch-nemesis is being released from prison.

The Harder They Fall reminded me of a chess match between two men. First, we have an overconfident Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), who is the guy that sat down at the table, knowing damn well he was going to win the match then we have Nat Love (Jonathan Majors), who is the young gun, the new kid in town that is rising to the top at a fast rate.

We open the movie with Rufus showcasing his skills by being the guy that can put you in check in three moves. Every move that Nat makes from here on out is escaping out of not being put in checkmate. Throughout the film, Nat carefully crafts each of his movements to take each of Rufus’s pieces down one by one.

As we reach the third act, Nat begins to become confident. We all know that young guns can be overconfident when they start to get on a roll, and this is where we see Rufus take control by taking his Queen and beginning to take his knights out and we begin to see Nat unravel and uncertain he will be able to get back up.

The Harder They Fall features a phenomenal ensemble cast

Throughout the film, Jeymes Samuel sets the whole story up using his phenomenal ensemble cast to elevate a well-written screenplay. I loved how each person we meet has an intricate part of what he is trying to tell. Westerns aren’t easy to make, and they can come off corny, overdone and boring, but what Samuel does right brings back that dual-like atmosphere with a modernized touch. I wasn’t expecting the movie to be as violent as it was and I loved the fact that it was.

As I said, each cast member delivers on their level, highlighted by another fantastic performance out of Jonathan Majors. He continues to show why he is one of the best working actors with a fun, emotional and kickass performance that I can’t wait to revisit over and over again. LaKeith Stainfield is another standout, even to the point that I would love to see a film based on his character Cherokee Bill. Last, Idris Elba’s final monologue will rip your heart out in a thousand pieces.

Overall, as the pieces begin to move into place, Jeymes Samuel brings us one of the most violent, ruthless westerns with a whole lot of heart that we have seen yet. I loved everything about this movie.

The Harder They Fall releases on Netflix on Nov. 3, 2021.