Shortly before Taylor Sheridan launched the “Yellowstone” empire, he wrote a trio of movies known as the “American Frontier Trilogy.” These aren’t spaghetti Westerns, or even narratively connected, but they each take part in the modern American West and explore dark corners of the human experience, with gripping narratives and compelling characters.
The trilogy starter, “Sicario,” and capper, “Wind River,” both got their flowers, and I see them frequently feature on “best movies of the 2010s” lists. But the middle chapter, “Hell or High Water,” was much praised upon release — with the film garnering a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The viewer score is not far behind, htting 88%k, but it lhas fallen out of the general movie conversation. That’s a great shame because in my mind it’s the best of the three. Fortunately, it’s just arrived on Netflix this week, offering a fresh chance in the spotlight.
