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Joseph R. Lansdale’s Western novel The Thicket published in 2013 had perhaps the most jaw-dropping opening lines in a book. It certainly beats the likes of Hunter S. Thompson’s “We were somewhere around Barstow” sentence from his novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas:
“On the day Grandfather came out and got me and my sister Lula and started hauling us off towards the ferry, I frankly did not expect anything as worse as what had already occurred, or that I would eventually find myself in the company of a gun-slinging dwarf, the child of a slave and an enraged massive hog. But it wasn’t me who is went out and killed someone and fell in love. It was me, but things didn’t quite happen the way I expected them too.”
Anyone familiar with the Texas author and martial artist knows that he is best known for being a pulp writer with a delightfully twisted and dark sense of humor. Whatever genre he dives into, he throws in some mirth with the mayhem. Yes, things can get grim, but things can also get amusingly weird. Unfortunately, everything is grim in the movie adaptation of “The Thicket”
Star and producer Peter Dinklage plays the titular role of Reginald Jones in the movie.
He is joined by his cynical bounty hunter and sidekick Eustace who is portrayed by the “Wire” cast member Gbenga Akinnagbe, who takes no prisoners. Eustace uses his bounty hunter skills to aid Jack, played by Levon Hawke, yet another Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman family member. Jack, a Christian teen, is searching for his sister who was kidnapped by the ferocious outlaw Cutthroat Bill, portrayed by Juliette Lewis, and her posse.
“Thicket” is very similar in tone and has the same style as the iconic spaghetti westerns from Sergio Corbucci, whereas the novels “True Grit” and “The Searchers” that made it to the big screen, “Thicket” does not seam to have any resemblance with the other two novels. Elliott Lester, known for directing “Aftermath’ with Arnold Schwarzenegger, decided to give the audience a new view of the Wild West, covered with everlasting snow. The movie was filmed in Canada, where it is equally cold and unwelcoming.
Chris Kelley portrays a ruthless screenplay with more violence than morality or with the chance of having any scumbag-type character pop up, ready to harm anyone that stands in their way.
None of these people appear to have a racist bone in their body, unlike the characters from Lansdale’s book. This means our unwary siblings receive their lumps just like their more grown-up counterparts in order to whip them into shape for surviving in this unforgiving, cold world. It’s bad enough that their parents perished from smallpox and their grandfather, who was taking them to their aunt in Kansas, got shot and killed by Bill, who started this whole hell ride.
Every so often, Lester and Kelley decide to inflict some wincing sentiments of harsh violence. Thankfully Dinklage (in surly but sage mode) and Akinnagbe (comforting and brave) combine in a way that sustains the audience’s attention for this very tiresome journey which may very well end in their destruction. Other castmates, however, seem clueless as to whether they should head for an all or nothing strategy.
Lewis phrases this entire scene as if she is a crossover of Calamity Jane and Captain Jack Sparrow while trying to copy to voice to a higher gravelly note. Originally Industrialized by Lansdale as a man her main heavy is now a big, bad momma who’s clearly been toughened up from years of enduring physical and mental abuse from male patriarchy. But Lewis is just sulky and nutty, chowing down on licorice while not on the set eating up the scenery. We also have strange-ass cameos from Metallica’s lead guitarist James Hetfield as a hired deputy looking for Jones, and gross stand-up comic/podcaster Andrew Schultz as a pimp, who gets angry when Roy, a character accustomed to brothel living, goes outside with a captured worker left behind, intended Batgirl Leslie Grace, who for some obscure reason transitions into an Afro mid-scene.
The Thicket can enchant those in search of an icy, thrilling novel with cold-blooded action set at the backdrop of violence. Their approach borders on the gory and savage which may appeal to diy hood movie lovers, but the endless raging of the storm is a big turn-off for readers who pick it up for an engaging read. Such readers had picked up the book because it is based on the ancient tale which was written by that famous author.
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