My quick rating – 5.3/10. Every once in a while, I like to change things up, and The Unholy Trinity offered just enough star power to nudge me into giving a western a shot. Set in the rugged terrain of 1870s Montana, the film kicks off with a hangman’s noose and a father’s last request. As Isaac Broadway awaits execution, he tasks his estranged son, Henry, with a heavy burden: find and kill the man who framed him. From there, Henry heads to the dusty, isolated town of Trinity and stumbles into a classic web of secrets, gold, and more backstabbing than a Thanksgiving dinner with outlaws.
The film boasts some impressive scenery that helps sell the setting. Shooting on location in Emigrant, Montana, was a smart move—there’s a certain authenticity you just can’t fake with a green screen. The cinematography captures that cold, lonely feeling of frontier justice, and if you squint, you might even believe you’re watching a prestige western.
As for the cast, that’s where The Unholy Trinity shines. Pierce Brosnan brings some dignity as Sheriff Gabriel Dove, a man trying to clean up a town that’s rotting from within. Samuel L. Jackson plays St. Christopher, a mysterious outsider who’s either the devil or the man you want on your side when things go sideways. Toss in David Arquette as a duplicitous priest (because why not?), and you’ve got a lineup that promises more than the script delivers.
Here’s the problem: the story’s tired. Really tired. Gold. Revenge. Betrayal. Repeat. It’s a Western checklist without much spark. The twists are telegraphed miles in advance, and the double-crosses start feeling more like mandatory plot beats than actual surprises. The dialogue leans melodramatic, and by the time the bullets start flying, you’re already three betrayals ahead of the movie.
It clocks in at a brisk 94 minutes, which is probably its biggest strength. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, but it also doesn’t leave much of a mark. For all the potential in the cast and the setting, it ends up playing like a soapy drama with occasional shootouts. There’s no real sense of urgency, and not a single character feels particularly fresh or compelling.
Look, westerns aren’t my usual go-to genre, and The Unholy Trinity didn’t change that. It’s a low-budget flick dressed up with some recognizable faces and a pretty backdrop, but the story just doesn’t rise above the genre clichés. It’s fine for a one-time watch, especially if you’re in the mood for six-shooters and shady dealings, but it’ll take a much better western to convert me (Hateful Eight, anyone?). This one just rides off into the “meh” sunset.
Currently theater at home pricing on Amazon, but these streaming links will be the same when they drop.