The Burrowers (2008)
Written and Directed by J.T. Petty
Lionsgate


Monsters in the old west is not a new idea. Whether it's the questionable quality of THE VALLEY OF GWANGI (1969) or the out and out camp fiasco BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA (1966), there's something intriguing about cowboys taking on supernatural forces with nothing but their six-guns and steely-eyed determination. J.T. Petty (SOFT FOR DIGGING, S&MAN) uses this same genre mash-up in his latest offering, THE BURROWERS, but he succeeds where so many others have failed, riding out with guns blazing to create a grim, thoughtful, and brutal film that excels as both a western and a horror movie.

THE BURROWERS opens with a family seeking shelter in a root cellar as their home comes under attack by unseen assailants. The family is abducted, and Irish immigrant Coffey - who is in love with one of the missing daughters - joins forces with a handful of seasoned ranchers to track the family down. Led by a narrow-minded military commander (and misled by xenophobia), the men believe the family has fallen victim to one of the Native American tribes indigenous to the territory. But they aren't even close. So deep is their prejudice that when they are told that "The Burrowers" are responsible for the disappearances, the men believe them to be a particularly vicious tribe of natives.

They're not. The Burrowers of the film's title are grotesque subterranean creatures that poison and paralyze their prey, storing victims in shallow graves for safe keeping until the bodies are sufficiently decayed. ("They eat the soft parts," one character notes). The film kicks into truly unnerving territory when the simple twitch of a woman's toe indicates that while mostly immobilized, the victims remain conscious during this period of rot and are often aware when the creatures return to eat.

But Coffey and his companions push on, convinced that the threat comes from an obvious source: vicious displaced natives. Pardon the pun, but they should have looked deeper - below the surface, as it were.

If you're thinking about the TREMORS franchise (particularly TREMORS 4), you're way off. (It's okay. Based on a two-line synopsis I had the same misconception going into the film). A more accurate genre movie reference in tone and overall quality would be ALIEN. (Just substitute horse-opera for space-opera.)

The cast led by Karl Geary (MIMIC 3), Clancy Brown (THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, CARNIVALE), and William Mapother (THE GRUDGE, LOST) deliver strong, convincing performances. Of particular note is Doug Hutchison's (THE GREEN MILE) portrayal of Henry Victor, whose nonchalant brutality provides a chilling human counterpart to the otherworldly creatures.

Petty's script stands out for its economy and precision of language. The dialogue is natural and moments of humor rise organically from the characters and their situations, rather than relying on the forced gags many genre films attempt at the expense of character authenticity. Additionally, it is the plot and some truly freaky creatures that provide the scares. Petty doesn't play down to the audience with fake outs and easy shocks, but rather tells his story honestly and mines the inherent dread from it. There is no shortage of gore, certainly no dearth of violence, but these elements are used judiciously, making them all the more disturbing.

Additionally, the cinematography is stunning. Early in the film, sweeping landscapes (beautifully filmed) give a sense of futility to the search by presenting the vastness of terrain our heroes must cover. In contrast, a wooded setting used for the film's climax is equally effective, providing a weighty claustrophobia, suggesting that the characters not only share the West with monsters, but are also trapped there with them.

With a tip of the hat to John Ford's THE SEARCHERS and countless creature features, Petty weaves a new myth into the Old West. THE BURROWERS is a horror/western hybrid that takes its subject matter seriously and delivers top-notch shocks along the way.