5 Years Later and Netflix Still Has the Greatest Western Movie of the Last Decade
In a current movie and TV landscape run largely by horror flicks, reboots of classics, and superhero folklore, it's quite fascinating to see Hollywood also bring back the Western genre. There's no doubt that Taylor Sheridan has carved a nice niche for himself with neo-Westerns on the TV side, like Yellowstone, Landman, and The Dutton Ranch. And from the movie perspective, films like Tom Hanks' News of the World, Nicolas Cage's Butcher's Crossing, Chris Pine's Hell or High Water, and the star-studded The Magnificent Seven have captured the attention of both fans and critics.
Keeping on the film side of the equation, while those above have all made impactful contributions to the Western space, Netflix released a movie nearly 5 years ago that has proven to be the best Western of the last decade.
‘The Harder They Fall' Debuted on Netflix in 2021
Written by Jeymes Samuel and Boaz Yakin, and directed by Samuel, The Harder They Fall is a star-studded Western that had a limited theater run before it officially premiered on Netflix on November 3, 2021. As with many movies in the genre, the story at the heart of the film is one of revenge. Jonathan Majors stars as Nat Love, a skilled cowboy who makes it his mission to take down the most ruthless villain in town, Rufus Buck (Idris Elba), who was just broken out of prison by his gang.
Nat is extra motivated to capture Rufus, given Rufus killed his beloved parents. However, as the cat-and-mouse game between the two rivals continues, a shocking twist reveals they have more in common than they thought. Here's the trailer for The Harder They Fall.
What Makes ‘The Harder They Fall' so Phenomenal
A major green flag for The Harder They Fall again comes in its star power. In addition to Majors and Elba, the film is rounded out by Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, LaKeith Stanfield, RJ Cyler, Edi Gathegi, Danielle Deadwyler, and Deon Cole. These are A-list talents that have starred in a number of blockbuster films, received a host of acting nominations, and King is an Oscar/Emmy/Golden Globe winner. The onscreen talent of the cast was so exceptional that they made it easy to overlook some more "predictable" points of the movie's storyline.
Speaking of the storyline, it's not every day that you see quite the diverse bunch in Westerns, and that diversity actually gave nuance to the plot. It was like an additional layer that helped the project stand out from its counterparts.
Additionally, it's worth talking about the film's reviews. The Harder They Fall is "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 83% as of publication. K. Austin Collins wrote for Rolling Stone, "Jeymes Samuel's feature debut is a history lesson wrapped in fast, flashy, and fantastical storytelling."
Matt Zoller Seitz of Roger Ebert stated, "The Harder They Fall is a bloody pleasure: a revenge Western packed with memorable characters played by memorable actors, each scene and moment staged for voluptuous beauty and kinetic power."
Again, The Harder They Fall is available to stream on Netflix. You'll need a subscription to the streamer to watch.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 3:23 AM.