This article contains references to graphic violence
The cannibal villains in Kurt Russell’s horror Western,Bone Tomahawk, are unlike any villains seen before in the genre. While Western movies were extremely popular from the 1930s to the 1960s (which was known as the golden age of Westerns,) they fell out of favor until recently. No matter how good they are, most ofthe best Western movieshave followed a similar formula, containing some character archetypes that are considered outdated today.Bone Tomahawkinjected some much-needed creativity and a fresh approach to the Western genre by combining Western familiarity with shock horror.
Bone Tomahawkis one ofKurt Russell’s best Westerns, and he plays Sheriff Franklin Hunt, who is a heroic Western movie archetype but has an excellent character arc. When a stable boy is murdered, Hunt finds an arrow in his office, which is identified as belonging to a dangerous tribe of Troglodytes. He leads an expedition to find the Troglodytes and bring back a group of people they have kidnapped. However, the villains are more dangerous than they seem, andBone Tomahawkhas one of the most gruesome death scenesof all time thanks to the Troglodytes.
What Does “Troglodyte” Actually Mean?
The Word “Troglodytes” May Not Accurately Describe Bone Tomahawk’s Villains
According to the Oxford English Dictionary,the word “troglodyte” refers to a person who lives in a cave. It is originally Greek and combines the words “trogle” (hole) and “dyein” (to dive into.) The word generally describes people living in caves in prehistoric times, rather than modern people. “Troglodyte” has also been used to refer to a hermit, though this is no longer a common usage of the word. More commonly, a deliberately ignorant person can be described as a troglodyte. InBone Tomahawk, a Native American character known as The Professor identifies the arrow as belonging to the Troglodytes.
The Troglodytes inBone Tomahawklive in a cave.
The brutal antagonistic tribe inBone Tomahawkmay not perfectly match the description for the word “troglodytes.” The Troglodytes inBone Tomahawklive in a cave, which is in line with the word’s meaning.It could be also argued thatBone Tomahawk’s Troglodytes have deliberately chosen to stay with their horrifying customswhen alternatives are available. However, they are not hermits. A hermit lives alone in an isolated place, often for religious reasons. While the Troglodytes live separately from the rest of society, they have a tribe and a community, which is far from the same existence as a hermit.
Are Bone Tomahawk’s Villains Based On A True Story?
Bone Tomahawk’s Director Designed Them To Look and Behave Differently
Bone Tomahawk’s Troglodyte tribe shows behavior that has been seen in many real-life groups throughout history, like using body paint and body modifications to decorate themselves. While some groups have also historically performed cannibalism, this has usually had a specific reason. In the case of existing tribes, this is often linked to a spiritual or religious purpose, and stranded explorers have sometimes turned to cannibalism out of desperation. That said,the Troglodytes inBone Tomahawkare not based on any real tribe, and this was a deliberate choice made by the director, S. Craig Zahler.
One major criticism of the Western movie genre is its treatment of its Native American characters. Historically, Westerns have cast Native American tribes as villains, portraying the individual members as primitive and animalistic.Bone Tomahawk’s single Native American character is an educated man with a voice that he is not afraid to use. He explains that the Troglodytes are barely human while challenging a character who boasts of killing “Indians.“Zahler deliberately made sure the Troglodytes did not resemble any real group of people, were distanced from previous Western portrayals of Native American people, and were clearly described as monstrous.
Why Are Bone Tomahawk’s Villains Cannibals? (& Why So Little Is Explained)
Bone Tomahawk Offers One Possible Explanation For The Troglodyte Culture
Being eaten is a primal fear that relates to pre-history. As cannibalism remains one of the biggest modern taboos, a common way to show that a character is monstrous is to make them a cannibal. The viewer and main characters know little about the Troglodytes, andeven by the end ofBone Tomahawk, much of the Troglodyte culture remains a mystery, as the characters see only brief and disturbing glimpses. Sometimes, the unknown is more frightening than hours of gory details, and this “less is more” approach makesBone Tomahawkone ofthe best cannibal movies of all time.
“I’ve Never Seen A Western That Did That”: Even Kurt Russell Was Surprised By Bone Tomahawk’s Story & Violence That Led To 93% RT Hit
Bone Tomahawk is a 2015 Western that is memorable for its overwhelming violence and darkness, yet this is what makes the movie so incredible.
Early inBone Tomahawk, The Professor points out the Troglodyte territory on a map, describing it as an empty area that is a mountain range. Within that area, he says, is “a place my people call The Valley Of The Starving Men.“Bone Tomahawkimplies that the Native American populations have existed in the same area as the Troglodytes for centuries, and therefore this place was likely named after a famine that occurred.It is possible that the Troglodytes turned to cannibalism long ago out of desperationand over time, it became part of their culture and they grew more monstrous.
What’s Up With Their Bone Whistle?
The Troglodyte Whistle May Show That They Are More Advanced Than They Seem
The Troglodytes' bone whistle is possibly one of the most mysterious and disturbing things about the tribe. The Troglodytes mostly communicate using grunts, but some of them have what appears to be a whistle implanted in their throats. Whether this feature is the result of a mutation, evolution, or a deliberate body modification is never explained. AsArthur manages to kill a Troglodyte, take out the whistle, and use it himself, it is likely an animal bone that the Troglodytes use as a body modification. It is a bizarre and creepy feature that makes their culture even more fascinating.
The Troglydytes' bone whistles reveal something even more disturbing about the tribe. The Troglodytes have discovered a way to communicate over long distances, which shows intelligence and problem-solving skills. We know that they have tomahawks and arrows, which means thatthe Troglodytes inBone Tomahawkcan kill a person quickly if they choose to. However, they inflict one of the worst deaths possible on Nick, and it appears that they have chosen to do this for some unknown reason rather than using their weaponry to do it quickly.
Why The Troglodytes So Brutally Kill Nick
Nick’s Horrifying Death Scene Even Disturbed The Horror Writer Stephen King
Nick’s death scene is one of the goriest and most emotional scenes of all time as it is seen through Hunt’s eyes as he tries desperately to offer him comfort in his final moments.Bone Tomahawk’s cannibalistic Troglodytes may have been hunting the humans for food(or for carrying children in the case of Samantha,) but there was no need to kill Nick as brutally as they did. It appears that either the Troglodytes are punishing their captives for entering their territory at all (which would make little sense if they needed them for food,) or they simply enjoy violence.
Of all the people who would be used to violent imagery and bleak fates, Stephen King would surely be one. However, even the legendary horror writer was left shocked and impressed byBone Tomahawk.Stephen King gaveBone Tomahawka glowing reviewon X, praising the dialogue in the “low-budget Western epic,” and warning viewers to “beware the last act, when a man is literally torn apart.” WhileNick’s death scene is undoubtedlyBone Tomahawk’s defining scene, another is just as disturbing and often overlooked.
Were There Still Troglodytes Alive At The End Of Bone Tomahawk?
Nick’s Death May Not Be The Worst In Bone Tomahawk
The ending ofBone Tomahawkshows the initial rescue mission succeeding but with the mortally wounded Sheriff Hunt sacrificing himself by staying behind.As Arthur, Samantha, and Chicory run from the cave, Hunt stays inside, promising to kill the remaining three male Troglodytesto buy the others time and prevent them from terrorizing the town. While three gunshots are later heard in the distance, implying that Hunt managed to kill the last Troglodytes, he could have shot himself, missed, or failed to kill them. Even if he succeeded, that leaves at least two Troglodytes alive.
Why Kurt Russell Says Bone Tomahawk Isn’t A “Horror Western,” But Still Compares It To His Classic Horror Movie With 85% On RT
Kurt Russell has claimed that Bone Tomahawk is not a “horror western,” making it hard not to wonder why he compared it with an 85% RT horror flick.
If Sheriff Hunt managed to kill the three remaining male Troglodytes and there were none hidden in other caves, that still leaves at least two Troglodytes alive.Just beforeBone Tomahawkended, the survivors discovered two pregnant female Troglodyteswho had been blinded, with their limbs amputated. With no food source, no vision, pregnant, and no way of moving themselves or communicating, the two remaining Troglodytes were left to suffer a long and drawn-out death.Bone Tomahawkis a fantastic but extremely disturbing movie, and details like this make the Troglodytes even more disturbing the longer you think about it.
