Western Horror is a genre that is decidedly underrated and underutilized, and ripe with potential. The aesthetic of a sprawling frontier amidst a barren and inhospitable landscape, mixed with lawlessness and bloodshed makes for near endless possibilities to slip in a truly terrifying tale. Black Wood, written and directed by Chris Canfield, delivers an amalgamation of all of that to deliver a story of natural enemies forced to work together to survive against an ancient evil entity.

Set during the American old west time frame Black Wood stars Tanajsia Slaughter as Dowanhowee, a Native American woman seeking vengeance for the brutality that has been inflicted on her. Standing in the way of her revenge are a group of outlaws hellbent on utilizing her as their guide through the treacherous Black Wood to lead them to gold. When they discover they’re being hunted by a Wendigo, a supernatural creature popular in Native American folklore, their motivation changes to a terrifying fight for survival. 

Bates Wilder stars as Dutch Wilder, leader of the ruthless band of outlaws who are forcing Dowanhowee to be their leader through the perilous terrain. Wilder appears to have a gentler, more understanding side in regards to the grieving Dowanhowee, and tries in vain to moderate between her and his gang. This sets up an intriguing and delicate balance of enemies begrudgingly compelled to rely on one another.

Black Wood sets the tone straight from the beginning, with a chilling opening that gives a proper glimpse of the fog-shrouded, bloodthirsty Wendigo. The cinematography finds ways to shift focus from the creature to its victims and back again that allows for subtlety without feeling low budget. The entirety of the film has plenty of moments that are beautifully filmed, with a combination of sweeping landscape shots and tight character close ups to capture emotion. 

This is a quiet film even during scenes of heightened tension, with a score that is either substantially muted or not present at all, which helps to pull the viewer in for undivided attention. This is particularly true with the scenes between Wilder and Slaughter, who captivate in their performances as two completely opposite individuals slowly earning each other’s respect. Slaughter shines in her portrayal of a woman who is marginalized and mistreated, while also exuding strength and courage to stand up for her rights.

Despite its moments of suspense, this is a slow burn, that at times focuses too much on the savagery of the characters, and not enough on the Wendigo, which ends up missing opportunities to truly become a monster flick. It feels like two different movies melded together in ways that aren’t completely compatible, and switches back and forth between them at times that can feel seamless, and at others feel clunky.

Canfield has woven a tale that has an overall authentic Western feel that will ultimately satisfy fans of the genre. Those looking for a more horror-filled theme may be disappointed, though it does deliver on the shock and gore factor. The strength comes from the development and arcs in the characters of Dowanhowee and Dutch, and their yin and yang of stoic native and grizzled frontiersman.

Black Wood is equal parts a typical Western story and an intriguing character study amidst a folk horror backdrop. Though it could benefit from a better balance of the Western/Horror elements that make it unique, it still brings a gripping tale of bitter enemies working together to fight for survival.

Black Wood will be released through Saban films in theaters on July 22nd, and video on demand on July 26th,

6 out of 10