The Old Way (2023)

In the 1870s, Colton Briggs (Nicolas Cage) was a bloodthirsty gunfighter. Twenty years later, he lives a peaceful life as a husband, father and general store owner. However, James McAllister (Noah Le Gros) wants revenge for Briggs’s murder of his father. The film is bolstered by performances from Nick Searcy (Justified) and Clint Howard (My Name is Earl).

The Old Way is Nicolas Cage’s premier foray into the western genre. While it may not be his best film, its importance lies in its thematic concerns. In a typical story, The Old Way portrays the pull between right and wrong, animal instinct vs. civilised behaviour, nature vs. nurture. It details a moral grey area in its characters, embodied through Briggs’s influence upon his daughter. The script asks ‘is violence ever justified?’, citing self-defence and vengeance. Withal, The Old Way is ultimately an entertaining repetition of western tropes, satisfactory enough to slake the genre’s fans.