The Best Westerns On Netflix
Whether you've always fancied yourself a bit of a cowboy, or just wished you could ride a horse through the mountains, here are some of Netflix's best Western movies, so that at the very least, you can live the life of a cowboy vicariously through some of these classics.
The Killer
You might not think that The Killer (2017) was a typical title of a Western movie, but this Brazilian flick about a group of assassins in the early 20th century featured Brazilian actor Diogo Morgado as Shaggy, adopted as a child and raised by a bandit. After his adopted father disappears suddenly, Shaggy must venture out into the badlands to learn what has become of his mentor. There's plenty of shoot 'em ups in this newish Western.
The Ridiculous 6
This Adam Sandler film certainly lives up to its name—although intended as a parody of The Magnificent Seven (1960), The Ridiculous 6 (2015) takes on a life of its own as six half-brothers set out across the Midwest to search for their estranged father. Starring Nick Nolte, Taylor Lautner, Rob Schneider, and Luke Wilson, The Ridiculous 6 is perfect if you're looking for something sort of silly to watch.
Happy Madison, The Ridiculous 6 (2015)
Mudbound
It's after WWII in the deep south, as two soldiers—one Black, one White—return from the war to find that the racist segregation that they'd forgotten about on the battlefield is still alive and well in Mississippi. Battling prejudices and post-traumatic stress in the Deep South, both soldiers must work through their traumas in this compelling Western drama.
The Quick And The Dead
The Quick And The Dead (1995) stars a pre-Titanic Leonardo Di Caprio alongside a star-studded cast of Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, and Russell Crowe. Like every great Western, there's a quick-draw competition to see who'll take home the bags of cash and bragging rights. While nearly 30 years old, The Quick And The Dead still commands respect (and Netflix views).
TriStar, The Quick and the Dead (1995)
The Highwaymen
Telling the story of the search for Bonnie and Clyde, The Highwaymen (2019) stars Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson as a pair of Texas Rangers on the hunt for the infamous criminal couple. Not quite as gripping as the original Bonnie And Clyde (1967), but The Highwaymen is still a good watch.
Universal, The Highwaymen (2019)
The Power Of The Dog
One of Netflix's best Westerns is also one of its most intense. A tale full of hubris and destructive machismo, Jane Campion's drama stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank, a toxically-masculine cowboy attempting to keep traditions alive that should be dead and buried, tormenting his brother and his new wife in the process. Campion won Best Director at the Academy Awards, while the film received 12 overall nominations.
New Zealand Film Commission, The Power of the Dog (2021)
Hold The Dark
Hold The Dark (2018) is a rather dark Western movie set in a remote Alaskan village, where a wolf has been stealing the local children—an animal expert is hired by the village to capture the wolf. While not your typical Western movie, Hold The Dark's Western themes are strong enough to make it a contender for some of the best Western movies on Netflix.
Film Science, Hold the Dark (2018)
Back To The Future III
Back To The Future III (1990) sees Marty head back to the Wild Wild West to save a love-struck Doc from the clutches of a woman with sinister intentions, repair the DeLorean, and avoid a gang of gunslingers at the same time. Folks loved Back To The Future III and rank it among the best of the iconic series.
Universal, Back to the Future Part III (1990)
Rango
Rango (2011) is an uncommon choice for Netflix's Western movies—as its an animated film made by Nickelodeon. Back in 2011, Rango was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Film and stars Johnny Depp as a pet chameleon in the Wild West. If you've got kids that love cowboys, then Rango may be a great choice!
Concrete Cowboy
A lesser-told story of a Philadelphian cultural icon of inner city horseback riding gets highlighted in Concrete Cowboy (2021), starring Idris Elba as a rider who uses urban riding to reconnect with his long-lost son.
Neighborhood Film Co., Concrete Cowboy (2020)
A Million Ways To Die In The West
From neo-action to comedy, the Western genre on Netflix has it all. A Million Ways To Die In The West (2014) is a comedy starring Neil Patrick Harris, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, and Seth Macfarlane, who wrote and directed the movie. Highlighting all the ways one could die in the West, Macfarlane's character takes on Neil Patrick Harris' outlaw, vying for the affection of his wife.
Fuzzy Door, A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)
The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs
This two-hour,12-minute anthology series chronicles the life of cowboy Buster Scruggs in the Midwest. It takes place over a series of six short stories, set to a musical named The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs. As each chapter unveils a shocking new twist, lovers of Westerns with a hint of drama and suspense will get plenty of both in The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs (2018).
Annapurna Pictures, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
The Harder They Fall
Somewhat of a different take on an outlaw movie, The Harder They Fall (2021) is a Netflix original that centers around an all-Black gang of outlaws that reunite to vanquish an old foe, following his release from prison. Starring Regina King and Idris Elba, The Harder They Fall was widely viewed as one of the best Western movies of 2021.
Overbrook Entertainment, The Harder They Fall (2021)
Bone Tomahawk
Starring Patrick Wilson and Kurt Russell, Bone Tomahawk (2015) combines the best of Western themes with some horror, à la Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and it follows a group of outlaws hell-bent on retrieving their leader from a group of cannibals. If there's one point of contention, it's that Bone Tomahawk leans hard on the notion of "savage natives"—that aside, it's a fine Western horror.
Caliber Media Company, Bone Tomahawk (2015)
Strange Way Of Life
Strange Way Of Life (2023) stars Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke as two cowboys with a romantic history, reunited after 25 years apart—but their reunion is spoiled by a grisly murder. At just 31 minutes long, this short film directed by Pedro Almodovar grossed $1.1 million at the box office and was released in both English and Spanish.
El Deseo, Strange Way of Life (2023)
The Furnace
Released in 2022, The Furnace takes all the hallmarks of an American Western and transports them to the Australian outback. "Is it even a Western if it's not set in the American Midwest?" you might ask—and that's a fair question, but The Furnace has all the hallmarks of a great Western film. Two robbers with their gold loot, on the run from the Police Gold Squad throughout the Australian outback. Guns. Horses. Loot. Yee-haw.
Meaning Maker, The Furnace (2020)
Longmire
Based on the Walt Longmire Mysteries (2004), a series of novels, Longmire (2012) is a character piece that tells the story of the gritty, determined guardian of the law, Sheriff Walter Longmire of Absaroka County. While keeping the people of Absaroka County safe, Sheriff Longmire must also battle his own personal demons. Longmire (2012) won awards in the audio-visual department and was nominated for several other Academy Awards.
Two Boomerang, Longmire (2012–2017)
Cowboy BeBop
If you like something a little more light-hearted for your viewing pleasure, then Cowboy BeBop (2021) is it. An unusual pairing of cowboys and space, Cowboy BeBop sees a cowboy and a superhero joining forces to protect the galaxy from crime. Based on the animated series of the same name, Cowboy BeBop was nominated for an Emmy award and achieved a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Midnight Radio, Cowboy Bebop (2021-)
Godless
Jeff Daniels stars in Godless (2017) in a classic cat-and-mouse Western where Daniels plays the role of Frank Griffin, a gang leader with an ax to grind against a former student and fellow outlaw, Roy Goode (Jack O'Connell). This gritty miniseries displays some brutal moments, with Daniels' acting versatility in full view; it's no wonder the series won three Primetime Emmy awards.
3:10 To Yuma
Starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, 3:10 To Yuma (2007) is a classic Western. After Ben Wade (Crowe) is captured after spending months terrorizing 1800s Arizona, particularly robbing the Southern Railroad, Dan Evans (Bale) volunteers to transport the prisoner to the awaiting train to take him to prison—with Wade's men hot on their heels. It grossed $71 million at the box office and garnered positive reviews from critics.
Lionsgate, 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Paradox
Something of a strange Western, this one. Paradox (2018) tells the tale of a group of outlaws searching for a mountainous treasure, who instead experience the power of the supernatural whilst under a full moon. Starring Willie Nelson and Neil Young (yes, that Neil Young), Paradox is notably more musical than movie.
Django Unchained
Django Unchained (2012) is widely regarded as one of the best modern Westerns ever made. It follows the story of a freed slave, Django, who trains for a gunfight under a German bounty hunter—with the ultimate goal of reuniting with his wife in the Antebellum South. Starring Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L Jackson, and Kerry Washington, Django Unchained was directed by Quentin Tarantino and received several Academy Award nominations and wins.
Columbia, Django Unchained (2012)
Hostiles
Set in 1892, Hostiles (2017) stars Christian Bale as Cavalry Captain Joseph Blocker, who must escort a dying Cheyenne war chief across a Midwest fraught with danger to his family in Montana. They also encounter a widow whose family was killed and let her travel with them to Montana. A story of survival and mutual respect between two warriors, Hostiles (2017) was well-received by Western fans.
Waypoint Entertainment, Hostiles (2017)
Redeeming Love
Set against the backdrop of the California Goldrush of the 1850s, Redeeming Love (2022) is a Western with a heavy biblical theme, starring Abigail Cowen and Tom Lewis as two star-crossed lovers. One of them must choose between his career as a gold digger or the love of his life—a choice that could cost him everything, either way. Redeeming Love received a GMA Dove Award Nomination for the Inspirational Film Of The Year.
Pinnacle Peak Pictures, Redeeming Love (2022)
Forsaken
With a star-studded cast, Forsaken (2015) was destined to be a major hit. It's a redemption story about a gunslinger (Kiefer Sutherland) who attempts to repair a broken relationship with his father by aiding him in repelling a criminal gang who are terrorizing ranchers.
Minds Eye Entertainment, Forsaken (2015)
Geronimo: An American Legend
Telling the iconic story of Geronimo—the 18th century Native American military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe tribe of the Apache people—Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) stars Wes Studi, Gene Hackman, and Matt Damon and is a fictionalized account of Geronimo's surrender in 1886 following the Apache Wars. It's one of the greatest Westerns of all time and was widely praised by Native American groups upon its release.
Columbia, Geronimo: An American Legend (1993)
The Hateful Eight
Another Quentin Tarantino flick for our list is The Hateful Eight (2015), starring Samuel L Jackson, Kurt Russell, and Walter Goggins as three members of a group of eight strangers who seek refuge from an impending storm in the mountain passes of the Midwest. Battling the elements, their egos, and outlaw gangs, the titular hateful eight must band together if they're going to reach their destination.
FilmColony, The Hateful Eight (2015)
Wind River
Starring Jeremy Renner and Elisabeth Olsen, Wind River (2017) is a dark crime thriller telling the story of a US Fish And Wildlife Service tracker and an FBI agent who are tasked with solving a murder on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. A huge box office success, Wind River grossed $45 million from an $11 million budget.
Acacia Filmed Entertainment, Wind River (2017)
Montford: The Chickasaw Ranger
Following the tale of Montford T Johnson, a real-life rancher who established a vast cattle ranch across the American Midwest, the film explores the life of Johnson (played by Martin Senseimer), who overcame immense hardships in the mid-19th century to establish his cattle ranch empire. Montford: The Chickasaw Ranger (2021) is widely viewed as one of the best Westerns of the 2020s.
Chickasaw Nation, Montford: The Chickasaw Rancher (2021)
The Hateful Guitar Smash
It wouldn't be a Quentin Tarantino movie without something going awry. During filming of The Hateful Eight (2015), Kurt Russell is supposed to destroy an old guitar—a movie prop. Except, when handed the guitar by staff, Russell smashed an antique 1870s Martin guitar, lent to the movie by the Martin Guitar Museum. The antique guitar was worth approximately $45,000. As a result, the museum no longer lends its guitars as movie props. Oops.
