With a resurgence of Westerns over the last decade, the horror genre has been one of the biggest benefactors, as genre-blending films like Prey (2022), Bone Tomahawk (2015), and The Pale Door (2020) were released to pretty significant audience and critical success. Joining the sub-genre is Organ Trail, a 2023 revenge-themed Western film directed by Michael Patrick Jann (Drop Dead Gorgeous, Reno 911!), and written by Meg Turner (Gnaw).
Organ Trail stars Olivia Grace Applegate (Love & Death), Zoé De Grand Maison (Riverdale, Orphan Black), Clé Bennett (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Sam Trammell (Trublood, Homeland), and Nicholas Logan (I Care a Lot).
The story follows Abigail Archer (Maison), a young woman who, after witnessing her entire family getting slaughtered by a group of rowdy bandits, pulls off a death-defying escape, and with the help of a local rancher (Clé Bennett), decides to take the group head-on in hopes of recovering the one surviving member of her family, her horse.
Beautiful Environmental Cinematography
One of the best and most gorgeous aspects of Organ Trail is its cinematography. Joe Kessler, who worked on The Mothman Prophecies and teamed up with Michael Patrick Jann before on Reno 911! did outstanding work, amplifying and taking advantage of on-location shots in the beautiful Montana mountains.
The camera work brilliantly highlights the isolated feel of being alone in the Northwest, and the dangers that lie not necessarily with the men chasing Abigail, but within the cold, unapologetic, and deadly environment the story takes place in. Shots in the snowed-over plain, or underwater shots in the iced-over rivers, brought the viewer into the story much more than a typical Hollywood-built Western town set ever could. Major kudos for the cinematic decision-making here.
A Severe Lack of Organs
Contrary to the marketing of Organ Trail, or its use of the zombie-themed Western game it shares a name with, there isn't much horror in this horror Western. Going in, it was expected that organs would be plentiful, but outside a few run-of-the-mill gunshot wounds, stabbings, and burn makeup, this movie felt like your typical, common Western revenge flick. While the circumstances of the story are indeed horrific, there were no supernatural elements, excess gore, jump scares, or anything else that would signify putting it in the horror genre. There were no zombies, Wendigo, or backcountry cannibals in this one.
Not that the lack of those things made the movie any worse, but expectations should be tempered against what the film was confusingly marketed as. Organ Trail is a Western thriller, through and through. With that being said, the practical effect of typical Western movie injuries looked great, and the bloody aftermath of battles contrasted well against the snowy, white backdrop of the environment.
Great Villains Stand Out Above All
The one thing that does separate Organ Trail from being just another Western revenge flick is its great use of villains. While some of the side character goons are just there for henchman quotes and semi-comedic deaths, Sam Trammell and Nicholas Logan in particular deviously shine throughout the film. While Trammell was set up as the film's main antagonist, it's Logan's brutality and terrifying nature that makes him so memorable.
Though Trammell's character is as scummy as they come, he's clearly in it for the spoils of dominating those weaker than him. Logan's character has a certain bloodlust that makes him scary. Specifically, in a scene with a local tavern owner (in a surprise cameo with Reno 911!'s Thomas Lennon), we see Logan show his sadistic nature in the goriest moment of the film. His careless demeanor and willingness to easily murder even those that are on his side, prove him to be an excellent antagonist and someone the viewer actively roots against.
Overall, while Organ Trail is certainly worth the watch for its beautiful film work and its villain characters alone, the movie doesn't really bring anything new to the genre, doesn't separate itself enough as a unique movie, and could have benefited more from marketing itself closer to the type of movie it actually was. It's nice to see new entries into the Western revenge flick sub-genre, and this one works if you want something new, but if you're looking for all-around quality, there are many other similar films in the genre that are more worthy of your time.