One simply cannot discuss New Hollywood without talking about Walter Hill. A filmmaker whose career as a director and writer stretches back to the very beginning of the movement that helped the industry develop into the ambitious cultural utopia it is seen as today, his legacy is undeniable, even if his films tend to vary in terms of quality, having directed as many failures as he has resounding successes, which just points towards his diversity as a filmmaker. However, when you are a director who has built a career out of working mainly in genre films, you are going to have your share of challenges, especially when you are one that frequently courts controversy with some peculiar decisions. However, just as we thought Hill had faded away into the past, seemingly stepping away from filmmaking, he returns with one of his most ambitious projects to date, and one that reminds us of what a truly terrific artist he was at his peak. Dead for a Dollar is a film that sees Hill crafting a film with the same grit and enthusiasm that was behind The Driver or The Warriors, where his bleak worldview came into contact with his forthcoming appreciation for a story well-told, which blends to form a film that is wildly entertaining and incredibly violent, but in a way that feels invigorating and earnest, rather than being indicative of some deeper social and cultural commentary which is reflected in every frame of this disquieting and deliriously compelling western thriller that offers us an abundance of unique moments, enough to keep us engaged and enthralled, without venturing too far from the aspects of the genre that make it so beloved, something that Hill seems to understand much better than most.

Dead for a Dollar is a fascinating throwback to the early revisionist westerns, those that are tinged with violence and told stories of prejudice amongst the residents of the Old West, which was far from the exhilarating action-packed landscape filled with humour and camaraderie that many seem to think after being conditioned to the more glamorous side of the era. However, Hill is a traditionalist when it comes to his stories, and this approach, combined with his sometimes dated perspective that doesn’t pay attention to nuances of political correctness and modern standards, can lead to films that are a bit myopic and controversial. Dead for a Dollar feels like a film someone would have made in the late 1970s, a film that brings forward a more conscious storyline when it comes to issues of race, but not in a way that is necessarily defined by this concept, but instead driven by a more simple approach. Hill seems to be under the impression that audiences want their films to be entertaining before they are thought-provoking, which is a perfectly acceptable way of constructing a story, granted the material is not blatantly contradictory to moral standards, which has been something Hill has struggled with in his more recent directorial efforts, which may seem modern in their aesthetic and creative choices, but were clearly made by someone from a previous generation. Dead for a Dollar gets him back on track, giving him the chance to make the kind of intriguing and layered western he enjoyed, but without the need to add elements that would find Hill hopelessly out of his depth. Instead, he understands that audiences don’t always want films layered with meaning, and it’s more than appropriate to produce a work that has an old-fashioned sense of excitement embedded deep within its conceptual fabric.

One of the key elements that Dead for a Dollar explores is that villainy is not binary – one is not merely good or evil, but rather has the capacity for both, and it ultimately depends on the situation. This is something Hill got from the many revisionist westerns that inspired this one (some of which he worked on himself, like the fantastic The Long Riders, a classic of the genre), and which he brought to this grisly but captivating film, which sees the multilayered story of warring factions, which consist of outlaws, bounty hunters, gang leaders and Buffalo Soldiers, reflecting a rather diverse range of perspectives, which is in itself a fascinating approach, especially for a genre that seems to usually focus on two central figures who stand in opposition, with everyone else just being on the periphery. Here, we have an ensemble of peculiar characters, each one an essential component in what turns out to be a riveting puzzle, in which Hill is doing in pursuit of some elusive subjects, which may be surprising for those expecting a more straightforward western film. It doesn’t mean that the film is aiming to be subversive (quite the contrary – it is very comfortable adhering to what is proven to be successful), but rather that there is an additional layer of genre blending being done here, where Hill is assimilating new ideas into the film that make it as much a western as it is a psychological thriller, with much of the story taking the form of a cat-and-mouse game between the various opponents that weave their way through the story, and it makes Dead for a Dollar a surprisingly unique film, at least in terms of directorial vision and storytelling prowess, which is only supported by his distinctly visceral approach to producing images that are both enticing and unsettling, which complements the story perfectly.

Considering his more recent films have been vehicles for actors who may be relatively iconic, but far from particularly versatile, it’s incredible that Hill managed to cast both Christoph Waltz and Willem Dafoe as the leads in Dead for a Dollar. It was a shrewd decision, since it ultimately became a large component of the film’s marketing, particularly amongst audiences that may not be aware of how immense this return to the medium is for a director like Hill, and who will instead find a lot of value in seeing these esteemed performers playing across from each other, which is a treat for any viewer, regardless of how they feel about the western genre as a whole. The most extraordinary merit of casting character actors in leading roles is that you are automatically met with the gift of versatility and dedication, which can only come from decades of supporting work that has not always translated well to leading roles. Neither of the two leads here needed to prove themselves as actors, and could just take on these challenging roles, disappearing into these characters that prove to be just as compelling as we’d imagine, and they commit entirely to playing these characters, the two carnal opponents at the heart of the narrative, and the people who we are most invested in seeing together once their individual journey converges into a shocking but enthralling climax that makes use of both of their talents, which are wonderfully framed by Hill, who understands how to not only capture the action on screen, but do so in a way that pays attention to the actors at the heart of a scene. Benjamin Bratt, Rachel Brosnahan and Hamish Linklater are all terrific as well, playing their parts exceptionally, and this film also serves to be a good breakthrough for younger talents like Warren Burke and Brandon Scott, who have the formidable task of acting across from massively established actors, and hold their own in this peculiar but captivating ensemble that is built on each individual character and their role in the entire narrative.

At first, it seems like Dead for a Dollar was made for a very specific audience, namely those who have an interest in these aggressively masculine films about bravado and rivalry. This is primarily why the western genre as a whole was wildly successful for half of Hollywood’s history. However, as we venture through the film, we see how it is far more complex. The violence is crisp and precise, and is interspersed between genuinely interesting character-based moments, which are performed brilliantly by a terrific cast of astonishing actors, each one fully in control of the narrative and capable of plumbing the emotional depths in developing their roles. The visuals are stark and unforgettable, and the film takes the form of a sepia-toned odyssey which launches viewers into the heart of the Old West, voiding it of luxury or colour, and instead replacing it with a genuinely cold, arid tone that is reflected in every frame. As a whole, Dead for a Dollar is a fascinating and very compelling film, and represents some of the director’s most succinct and effective work to date, and a fantastic return to form for one of our more versatile filmmakers, someone who has served as a bridge between the outset of New Hollywood and the current state of the industry, and while his perspective has not matured alongside the medium, Hill is still a vibrant, interesting director with a clear vision and the ambition to make something as daring as this, proving to be someone who still has that spark, which he uses well in the construction of this riveting psychological western.