Jeffrey Wright and Alexander Skarsgård Face Off in This Brutal Neo-Western

The Big Picture

• Jeremy Saulnier has carved out a unique niche for himself as an independent filmmaker, crafting thought-provoking and dark thriller films.
• Hold the Dark is a disturbing and graphic modern Western that explores the mythologization of the genre and the brutality of the Alaskan wilderness.
• The film’s slow pace and graphic violence may have made it a challenging release for theaters, but its streaming availability allows it to reach its niche audience.

While many of the industry’s best independent filmmakers have unfortunately been swept up within the Hollywood studio system and assigned blockbuster properties, Jeremy Saulnier has found a unique niche for himself. Saulnier’s dark, depraved approach to the thriller genre may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but he’s managed to craft shocking, thought-provoking films that feel entirely his own. While Saulnier’s brilliant revenge neo-noir Blue Ruin maximized his shoestring budget and his contained Green Room created an instantly iconic screen villain, his 2018 Netflix film Hold the Dark is completely divorced from any mainstream sensibilities. With its disturbing themes and shocking instances of ultra-violence, Hold the Dark is a powerful modern Western that examines the mythologization of the genre.

What Is ‘Hold the Dark’ About?

Set in the icy wilderness of Alaska in 2004, Hold the Dark follows the young mother Medora Slone (Riley Keough), whose six-year-old son Bailey has gone missing. Medora theorizes that Bailey and two other children were kidnapped by a pack of wolves that have hunted near the community. Medora is under pressure to keep her child safe, as her husband Vernon (Alexander Skarsgard) is set to return from his service in the Iraq War. The inciting incident of Bailey’s disappearance allows Saulnier to examine Medora and Vernons’ marriage, as their son’s livelihood has led to a dispute between them. It’s implied through Skarsgård’s absolutely terrifying performance that Vernon wants to raise Bailey to become the violent, aggressive sort of person that he is.

To ensure that her son is returned home safely before her husband discovers his disappearance, Medora hires the local tracker, Russell Core (Jeffrey Wright) to rescue the children. Wright is the perfect protagonist for the story because he approaches his mission with skepticism, and doubts that Medora’s assignment is entirely what it seems. Although there’s little insight shed on Core’s backstory and how he became a tracker, Wright gives an incredible physical performance that captures the expertise of a man who adjusted to the dangers of the wilderness. The world of Hold the Dark is bleak, and only the strong survive; it takes perseverance on the part of men like Core to survive the brutal environment.

Although the premise itself is seemingly quite simple, Saulnier uses the straightforward nature of the narrative to create an isolating sense of dread. Core’s journey into the thick of the wilderness forces him to question what he is willing to do in order to survive; he only steadily realizes that the dangers Bailey will face with his father rival the perils of the wilderness. Winter environments are perfectly suited for the horror genre, and Saulnier utilizes the fear of the unknown to create a greater sense of tension. While there are traumatizing atrocities depicted on screen, it’s even more terrifying when Saulnier leaves elements of the story to the viewers’ imagination.

‘Hold the Dark’ Modernizes the Western Genre

Although context clues identify Hold the Dark as taking place in the early 21st century, the concept of a lost child and his lonesome protector is a timeless narrative that is found in many Westerns. Saulnier creates many allusions to the Western genre, as Core’s cold, nearly wordless nature evokes comparisons to many great Western anti-heroes. This realistic approach helps Hold the Dark analyze the cliches of Western stories within a modern context; Core is by no means a straightforward protagonist, and uses nontraditional means to complete his missions. While the notion of the “outlaw gunslinger” has been lionized in Western films, Core is reflective of how dour, yet selfless these men actually were.

Many great Westerns are set within the backdrop of a war, and Hold the Dark uses the context of the Iraq War to explore the depravity of the situation. Given that there is a global conflict going on that pits many nations against each other, the events in Keelut, Alaska feel even more divorced from “civil society.” The brief flashback sequences that show Vernon’s experiences in war show how the service has hardened his outlook on life and encouraged his more aggressive tendencies. This is what makes Skarsgård such a terrifying villain; he sees his brutal practices as the only way to raise his child within a world that has forsaken its empathy.

Saulnier utilizes the framework of a Western, as Hold the Dark creates a world that seems completely lawless. It’s suggested that Medora must turn to a source of “vigilante justice” like Core because the law itself has no means of offering protection to her family. Although Core’s mission ultimately forces him to cross paths with Vernon, he spends the majority of the film fighting against the challenges of nature. The film is as much a survival thriller as it is a mystery, and the natural world has rarely felt too terrifying.

‘Hold the Dark’ Was Too Disturbing for Theaters

While Netflix’s role in releasing films without a theatrical distribution component has been hotly debated, Hold the Dark may have struggled to find an audience had it been released in theaters. The film’s pace is as glacial as its setting, with many prolonged sequences revolving around Core performing tracking tasks with extreme precision; his lack of expressiveness may be a barrier for viewers who expect their protagonists to be more openly expressive. While Hold the Dark may have had to sand off its edges to appeal to mainstream viewers, its release directly on streaming allows it to reach its niche audience.

It’s also hard to imagine that Hold the Dark’s brutality wouldn’t have attracted controversy, as the film’s graphic violence is certainly not for the faint of heart. Between the danger presented to children, a disturbing sequence of sexual assault, and no shortage of graphic deaths, it’s almost surprising that Hold the Dark managed to avoid an NC-17 rating. Saulnier’s refusal to compromise may fail to endear his work to mass audiences, but for those interested in radically authentic genre projects, Hold the Dark is a nasty and unforgettable gem.

Hold the Dark is streaming on Netflix.

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