10 Greatest Neo-Westerns of the Last 25 Years, Ranked

Westerns were once the blockbuster staple of the Hollywood film industry that ruled the box office for decades. Although the genre is perhaps not as popular now as it was 50 years ago, it remains a significant part of American culture. In fact, so significant are these Old West myths that we've seen them extend well into the 21st century. Hence, the neo-Western, which we would describe as something that updates classic Western tropes into a contemporary or near-modern setting.

In the past 25 years, we've seen a plethora of these stories dominate both the big and small screens, but if you're looking for the best neo-Western features of the last two-and-a-half decades, you're in luck. Be they heartwarming tales of love and family or intense psychological thrillers, there's something in here for everyone. These movies may not be set in the Old West, but many of them play by those same Old West rules.

10 ‘Sicario’ (2015)

On the surface, Sicario is nothing more than a crime thriller that dares to meditate on the modern conflicts at the U.S.-Mexico border, but this film is so much more than that. Directed by Denis Villeneuve from a script by Taylor Sheridan (who kick-started his famed American Frontier trilogy here), this picture elevates the potential of what a neo-Western could be. Instead of a lone lawman battling cartel crime, Sicario takes a young FBI operative (Emily Blunt) into the field alongside the CIA, and things get pretty Western pretty quickly.

Even if it doesn't feature all the familiar trappings of a neo-Western (the cowboy bar notwithstanding), Sicario challenges the traditional genre archetypes by instead following Blunt's Kate Mercer, who is certainly not the typical Western protagonist. Although not stylized like your usual horse opera fare, Sicario is a representation of the modern border conflicts in the same way that many Old West tales expanded on the wars between the U.S. and Mexico back in the 19th century. It's also just a dang good film.

9 ‘Let Him Go’ (2020)

Although set in the 1960s, Let Him Go is your classic Western fare dressed in 20th century clothing, making it a neo-Western thriller you just have to see. As Kevin Costner's only "modern" Western picture, it reunites him with his Man of Steel co-star Diane Lane (with the pair again playing a husband and wife duo) as they fight to save their grandson from the step-family who have abducted him. Costner plays a retired sheriff, but the lack of a badge doesn't stop him from riding headfirst into trouble.

Based on the novel by Larry Watson, the film was directed by Thomas Bezucha, who balances Costner and Lane (receiving top billing here for her stunning performance) remarkably well. The pair feels as if they were ripped from one of Costner's Western features and dropped into mid-'60s Montana, only to remain as traditional in their ways as they fight for the life of their grandson. It's a relentless film that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the credits roll, and possibly even after.

8 ‘Out of the Furnace’ (2013)

While it's true that part of what makes a movie a Western is the geographical location involved, that hasn't stopped movies like Out of the Furnace from utilizing Western genre conventions in the Appalachian region of Pennsylvania. Still, one might consider it a stretch to put this Scott Cooper-directed crime thriller on the list, but we think it qualifies, even if just barely. As steel mill worker Russell Baze (Christian Bale) searches for his missing brother in the hills, he comes dangerously close to the notorious outlaw (Woody Harrelson) who killed him.

The picture meditates on traditional Western themes like frontier justice and the slow decline of society in a harsh landscape (in this case, the "Rust Belt"), giving it a neo-Western edge on top of its neo-noir notions of moral complexity and unavoidable fate. Bale and Harrelson are at the top of their game here, pushing the drama to its absolute limit in the third act. Out of the Furnace may not be the first film you think of when you consider the best neo-Westerns out there, but once you see it, you won't be able to forget.

7 ‘The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada’ (2005)

A true neo-Western in every sense, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is Tommy Lee Jones' attempt at exploring the modern West from Texas to Mexico in this quirky tale of friendship, revenge, and frontier justice. Jones stars and directs here in the powerful tale of one man's odyssey to return the body of his friend to his hometown in Mexico. It's hard to describe much of this film without giving it all away, so you'll just have to take our word for it.

Known also as Three Burials, the 2005 picture feels quite relevant today, as Jones' Pete Perkins wanders his way across the border alongside the Border Patrol agent (Barry Pepper) who killed his friend. It's a wild ride that is a bit more philosophical and introspective than you might expect. Then again, from a filmmaker as impressive as Tommy Lee Jones, maybe you would.

6 ‘The Book of Eli’ (2010)

Highly underrated on almost every account, The Book of Eli is generally considered to be a post-apocalyptic tale of hope and survival, but it very much falls under the landscape of being a neo-Western as well, albeit one set in the future. As the mysterious drifter Eli (Denzel Washington) wanders around an American West scorched by nuclear war, he finds himself at terrible odds with those in a small town who seek the book he has in his possession, a book that might lead to the reconstruction of the West.

Not only does The Book of Eli often feel like a Western in its overall structure and content (that bar scene especially stands out), but it plays expertly with the type of 19th-century-inspired world the U.S. might fall back into under the right conditions. Although Eli isn't one to handle a gun, he's essentially a modern-day gunslinger, one who wields a blade instead of carrying bullets. Washington plays the part with a masterful ease that makes us wish we had gotten another installment or two following his journey across the West.

5 ‘Wind River’ (2017)

In Taylor Sheridan's official directorial debut, Wind River takes the neo-Western further north into the cold reaches of Wyoming as it expands on the troubles often found on different Native American reservations to this day. Reuniting after their time together on Avengers: Age of Ultron, Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen play U.S. Wildlife Agent Cory Lambert and FBI Agent Jane Banner, respectively, as they search for the truth of what happened to a girl reported missing on the Rez.

Be warned, this one can be brutal. Wind River is one of those movies that is not for the faint of heart. After all, Sheridan was inspired by the real-life traumas and tragedies that occur on reservations across the United States, rounding out his American Frontier trilogy with a harrowing tale and a call to action. The ending is tough to walk away from, but it's a poignant picture of the grim realities at play across the modern West today.

4 'An Unfinished Life' (2005)

Arguably the most heartfelt of this wild bunch, An Unfinished Life has largely fallen into obscurity, but it's a genuine triumph of the late Robert Redford's career that deserves high praise. Directed by Lasse Hallström from a screenplay by Virginia and Mark Spragg, based on the latter's novel of the same name, the film follows aged rancher Einar Gilkyson (Redford) as he is forced to come to terms with his daughter-in-law (Jennifer Lopez) and the granddaughter he never knew (Becca Gardner) when they arrive unannounced on his Wyoming ranch. Learning again what it means to have a family, Einar comes to terms with the trauma of the past and rediscovers hope for the future.

With a cast that also includes Morgan Freeman, Josh Lucas, and Damian Lewis, An Unfinished Life offers a more balanced take on the modern West that isn't so grim or bloodthirsty. It's a potent reminder of the impermanence of life, and that making the best use of the time we're given is all we can really do. Redford kills it here, of course, as a strong powerhouse who embodies the fading Old West-inspired cowboy still clinging tightly to the old ways. His chemistry with Freeman is outstanding.

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3 ‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)

Any list of neo-Western dramas that didn't include No Country for Old Men would be incomplete. The Coen Brothers really outdid themselves here with this 1980s-set crime thriller, once again centered on the U.S.-Mexico border. Based on the novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy, No Country follows Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) as he stumbles upon cartel money that is being chased down by the elusive hitman Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), all while Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) attempts to solve the case.

As one of only four Westerns to ever win an Academy Award for Best Picture, No Country is impressive on more levels than not. The riveting screenplay, the masterful tension, and the near-perfect performances that bring this whole mess of blood, money, and grit together are impeccable. Although the Coens would later return to the genre to spin some more traditional Western yarn, No Country for Old Men remains their crowning achievement that, to this point, has yet to be beaten.

2 ‘Logan’ (2017)

Another neo-Western technically set in the future, this James Mangold film takes the world of Marvel Comics and turns it into something truly profound. Logan is the final entry in Hugh Jackman's Wolverine trilogy that brings the title character full circle. Reinterpreting the ex-superhero as more of an aged gunfighter, Mangold portrays the X-Men franchise in its final days as Logan discovers his long-lost daughter, Laura (Dafne Keen), who takes him on a journey from his exile in Mexico through the American West and into a New Eden on the other side of the Canadian border.

Perhaps one of Logan's biggest strengths (besides Mangold's clear Western direction and Jackman's outstanding performance) is its ties to the classic 1953 Western Shane. Not only does Patrick Stewart's Charles Xavier watch Shane alongside Logan's young daughter, but the film itself explores many of the same themes found throughout the classic Western. As far as neo-Westerns go, Logan is among the most unique entries on this list, but it also stays true to the genre as it sends off Jackman's title character — well, at least until Marvel brought him back again.

1 ‘Hell or High Water’ (2016)

Arguably the best neo-Western of the last 25 years, Hell or High Water is a wild crime thriller with enough commentary on the modern landscape of West Texas to leave the audience with something meaningful. The middle installment of Taylor Sheridan's American Frontier trilogy sees David Mackenzie direct the tale about two bank-robbing brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) who are pursued across the Lone Star State by two aging Texas Rangers (Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham). It's a powerful film that is both beautifully scripted and performed.

Fans of the Western genre may see Hell or High Water as a 21st-century epilogue to the myths of the Old West, complete with the continued tensions between lawmen and outlaws. All four of the film's main stars simply kill it here, with Foster delivering the best performance of his career as the wild Tanner Howard, who would've definitely been a train robber back in the 1800s. Not only is it the best movie of Taylor Sheridan's screenwriting career, but Hell or High Water is easily the most memorable neo-Western of the 21st century.