The Wolf And The Lamb

Schlif has put together one of the best ensemble casts seen yet in a horror western. The first deft casting move is Clint Howard, who at this point is a bona fide star. It was Howard’s participation in this production that drew me to see it, as it has the Clint Howard seal of approval. Howard does not disappoint, as he does old west dastardly style to perfection. Macfadyen is a real casting coup as well, as his star will shine forever, thanks to Braveheart and the criminally underseen The Pleasure Drivers. Macfadyen brings the old world to the old west, summoning a spiritual gravity to the wooden frontier church that could fill a stone cathedral. The always great Kilcher really gets to show her stuff here; fans of her work recently in Yellowstone will be thrilled.

“…a wonderful example of why the western has refused to die.”

The picture’s standout performance is Nelsen as the doctor. Nelsen has distinguished himself greatly with his recent horse operas. His performance here really shows his old west range, as it is the exact opposite of the black-hearted villainy he perfected in the excellent indie western Trail of Vengeance. His approach to the territory doctor is a lot more nuanced and complex than we see in a character type that is usually comic relief. Nelsen makes palpable the frustration the doctor lives with, trying to maintain a civilized manner in an untamed land. Nelsen even manages to pull off the doctor’s highfalutin vocabulary dead serious and utterly believable, an impressive feat on a near Shakespearean level.

Ironically, it is because The Wolf And The Lamb is so devoted to being an excellent western that the horror element works so well. By putting Western first and horror second, Schlif avoids overdefining the threat, which also increases the dread. As a lifelong fan of horror, I cannot tell you how exciting it is to be near the end of the third act and still not know exactly the nature of what is coming at me. The lack of over-explanation also adds an elegance to the horror that is quite chilling. There are more than a few kill scenes that are shown after the fact, which increases the mystery, even if it was done due to budget limits. It’s not a classic, but it is a very good film from a filmmaker who is close to making one. The Wolf And The Lamb is a superior western horror that will burn your barn down. Set your spurs to shiver, and enjoy!