This Bloody Country

Audience Reviews

View More (13)

Sunny M Stunning cinematography and slow burn plot made this an enjoyable watch. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/17/25 Full Review Betsy W This movie is a gem! It's a thinking person's movie - carrying you on the journey with the characters in the moment, and staying with you long after the movie ends. What happens next? What if one or two of the characters (I won't tell you who I'm thinking about) made a different decision? Watch and enjoy! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/14/25 Full Review William O I really liked this understated western. It was beautifully shot in a striking landscape that is itself a character. The human characters were multidimensional and the tension developed between them sustained the movie. It's not a shoot-em-up (for the most part) but an exploration of morality and the moral conflicts of that place and era. The tensions within the Mormon family are sensitively explored, though there's not enough time (and too many of them) to do them each with depth. But really it's the lead actors, Martin Dingle Wall as the seasoned guide, Larry Cedar as the Mormon patriarch and Rainey Qualley as the young sister wife, that make this movie great. Highly recommended! Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/07/25 Full Review David F The western as a genre is deceptively simple. Everything's outside, no one changes their clothes, battles are fought with guns. But Craig Packard understands what the classic western directors of the 40s and 50s did -- how to pick at these seemingly simple tropes and find the rich ore underneath. This is a movie with complex characters, true conflicts, and genuine suspense. The film takes its time, but it's worth it for the performances and the emotional ride. Love to see this kind of work, and I hope you watch it and agree. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/02/25 Full Review Jeremy K. I throughly enjoyed this film. It’s a provocative depiction of similar trials that my great grandparents may have faced when they emigrated to Utah in this era. Ned and Lilith are compelling characters…and their story arc is satisfying, complex and believable. “No one is beyond redemption”. Josiah seems overly sanctimonious, but perhaps there were old dudes with misogynist views back in those days. This seems why church leadership shipped him off to Arizona. Amen to the priesthood of that man (D&C 121)…but, of course, Josiah isn’t beyond his own redemption either. I’ve always believed in the power in strength of pioneer women (my great grandmother’s journals illustrated this for me). Not only were they faithful, but they were also resilient and practical. This aspect of the story is satisfying and even fun at times. This film is provocative, thrilling and realistically emotional. The stellar cast, gorgeous cinematography and score complement the story. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/27/25 Full Review Douglas C I saw THIS BLOODY COUNTRY at the Utah International Film Festival in January of 2025, and it absolutely blew me away. It's a beautiful, intense story with great performances, wonderful and meaningful uses of the Utah landscapes, and a gritty atmosphere filled with tension, frustration, excitement, and longing. Martin Dingle Wall burns up the screen with his haunted, reluctant hero, while Larry Cedar serves well as a pious and equally strong-willed foil. Maggie Gwin is a revelation as a level-headed sister-wife caught between religious obligation and desire. I can't say enough good about this film, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. THIS BLOODY COUNTRY is that amazing. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/23/25 Full Review Read all reviews

This Bloody Country

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Most Popular at Home Now