The Harder They Fall

The Harder they Fall (2021) is a movie the wife and I recently watched on Netflix. The storyline follows a young man who suffered a horrific past when he whitenessed his parents murdered. When he discovers the man responsible recently escaped from jail he puts together a team to hunt him down and obtain revenge.

This movie is directed by Jeymes Samuel (They Die by Dawn) and stars Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country), Zazie Beetz (The Joker), Regina King (Ray), LaKeith Stanfield (Get Out), Idris Elba (Thor), Delroy Lindo (Clockers) and Danielle Deadwyler (The Devil to Pay).

The storyline for this picture had fantastic potential and worthwhile primary and sub plots. The characters are well written, both in terms of backstories and dialogue. The attention to detail and cinematography in this is out of this world; however at times, there's too much focus on style over substance which slows the pace of the film a bit too much. I will say the conclusion is excellent.

The cast is very well selected and everyone delivers their characters perfectly. The action sequences are executed and delivered with entertaining levels of grit and intensity. The soundtrack for this is out of this world good.

Overall this is a very well done movie that is entertaining and worth a viewing; however, it doesn't reach its full potential. I'd score this a 7/10 and strongly recommend seeing it.

Take it as it is: a terrific entertainment full of stars, charisma and pure fun. It took me by surprise, hooked from the very first cold blooded scene throughout and never let me down as a high budget Netflix film. So much fun!

Great casting and performances. Excellent sets, landscapes, costumes, shots and cinematography. But the 139 min runtime dragged on forever with the not-as-big plot, slow pacing and dragged out and unnecessary scenes. Then trying too hard to add the Tarantino flare was cringeworthy. The entire story lacked depth, and chose style over substance. Tons of action, bullets and blood, with a story that could've been told in 90 mins top. What was worse were the musical numbers and loud, overbearing and unfitting rasta music (for a wester?), something I'd expect from a B-movie. The ending was the only worthy act. Imo, it was a waste of amazing talent. It's a 6/10 from me.

The opportunity to view a black western appealed to me. It is hard not to see and feel racial overtones dominating the storyline.

Great acting but the direction felt like there was too much modern racial tension. Sort of a cowboys in the hood feel. The story was pretty loose. Clean camera work, great backdrop and props. Lack of diversity left me feeling it went past it's purpose. Clean production.

And then the Martian tried to make a western. A painfully slow epic which steals from every western genre that came before it, but then it lapses into reggae musical interludes. And the gratuitous violence against everybody, Jesus... and no story. Well, there is a story, but the film meanders so much you don't care. The weirdest thing I've ever seen. Watch 3:10 to Yuma again, instead...or maybe The Harder They Come ;=)