ACTION LACED WITH MORALS
THE deeper you delve into this movie, the more you’ll realise Hell Or High Water is more than a modern take of a typical old-school western heist movie.
Director David Mackenzie sprinkles the film with strong, thematic content that relates to legacy, death, family and vengeance.
Set in sun-roasted dusty West Texas, the film follows two hard-pressed thieves, brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner Howard (Ben Foster), who come together after years to rob a string of banks across West Texas to amass enough money in one week, in order to save a family home from being foreclosed.
What is motivating them is knowing there is a contract for drilling oil on their land. For the brothers, the heinous activity is a last-ditch scheme to ensure what belongs to them doesn’t get repossessed.
Toby, the mastermind behind the ingenious plan, is a divorced father with two sons while Tanner is his ex-con older brother. Their first robbery had a few hiccups and even the middle-aged woman they terrorised in the remote Texas Midland bank seemed to know that they were amateur robbers because while observing their unrefined robbery technique, she remarked: “Y’all are new I’m guessing.”
At first, they may seem like dumb robbers but they turn out to be smarter and more complicated than they seem.
They continue the robbing spree to complete their scheme until they find themselves on the radar of US Marshall Marcus Hamilton, a Texas Ranger played by Jeff Bridges. Looking for one last grand pursuit on the verge of his retirement, he and his partner Alberto (Gil Birmingham) pursue the brothers.
Bridges nicely injected some light comedy into the movie with his character’s sharp sense of humour.
The brothers plot a final bank heist to complete their scheme with Tanner deciding to continue with the plan even though the bank is full of customers.
After a shoot-out, the brothers escape but Toby is wounded. The townspeople pursue them, as do Hamilton and Alberto.
The most profound scene is the one where Toby and Tanner go their separate ways. “Love you, brother,” says Tanner. Then, after a moment he glances over his sunglasses and adds: “Mean it.”
Their punchy, affectionate conflicted brotherly bond in the plot shows the unconditional love family members have for each other, and the risks and danger they get into to protect their loved ones.
Indeed, desperate times call for desperate measures.
Despite the film being about a heinous crime by two brothers, it shows that there are depths of humanity that everyone can relate to. Toby is at his wits end to care for his family.
Contrary to the adrenaline fuelled scenes towards the end of the plot, the early bank-robbing scenes of the movie are mostly mundane and if it isn’t for the more hotheaded and brave Tanner, it will seem like the perfect crime spree.
While the storyline is well-written by Taylor Sheridan, the actors shine.
Foster successfully encapsulates the image of a ruthless ex-con, but is still undeniably charming and fun. He’s the kind of guy who is able to break free from trouble anytime with his smooth moves.
Pine on the other hand, surpasses my expectations in bringing his serious character to life. His rugged look almost makes him unrecognisable, from the articulate, handsome Captain Kirk he plays in the Star Trek franchise.
Hell Or High Water isn’t your average heist movie. In the midst of the actionpacked scenes, the movie is laced with moral values.