Westerns, by nature, usually find themselves set in isolated parts of the United States with a limited cast and set that allows dialogue to do the heavy lifting as much as the characters speaking those lines. With any luck, a talented group of actors will help to elevate both elements to a level beyond what could be considered a stage play with cowboy hats and revolvers. When this feat is achieved, the results can often be excellent, ranging from the legendary Clint Eastwood’s genre-defining “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” and “Unforgiven,” as well as more recent entries such as Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” and “The Hateful Eight.” 

READ MORE: The 25 Best Westerns Of All Time

Somewhere in the middle of the graph of quality sits “Surrounded,” the newest addition to the genre, fulfilling the requirements mentioned above to a T, as if someone in the editing room was running through a list as the final cut played out before them; Vast, rural landscapes?

Continue reading ‘Surrounded’ Review: Good Performances From Letitia Wright & Jamie Bell Can’t Help This Dull Western at The Playlist.