8 Greatest Western Movies Currently on Netflix

Westerns have provided Hollywood with many classic films since the 1910s, including titles like Tombstone and Django Unchained, and Netflix now offers a great selection. Modern Westerns, especially those by creators like Taylor Sheridan, Quentin Tarantino, and the Coen Brothers, have reshaped how we see the American West. These films often tackle complex themes—justice, mystery, revenge, and humor—and remain compelling even if they aren’t as widely appreciated today as they once were.

Westerns are incredibly diverse, ranging from lighthearted comedies to intense revenge stories. This collection showcases that variety, offering something for everyone – whether you want a fun family movie or a grand, thought-provoking epic. These films are essential viewing for Western fans, with some offering fresh takes on familiar tales and others celebrating the golden age of Westerns on television.

The Last Stand Is Perfect for Fans of Rio Bravo

The movie The Last Stand starts with a dangerous cartel leader breaking out of FBI custody in Las Vegas. He speeds away in a high-performance car, aiming to reach the border. To avoid detection, he intends to have his crew build a bridge over a canyon. Standing in his way is Ray Owens, the sheriff of the small town of Sommerton Junction. When Owens learns of the plan, he gathers his deputies to defend their town and stop the cartel boss from escaping.

The Last Stand is a modern remake of the classic Western Rio Bravo, bringing the same heroic characters to the screen with a comedic twist as they face a final battle. It marked Arnold Schwarzenegger’s return to leading roles after his political career, delivering an exciting action story set in a contemporary American West. The film blends Western elements with comedy, and with cast members like Johnny Knoxville, it’s a fun and lighthearted take on the lawman genre, all while cleverly referencing the original film.

The Highwaymen Is a Blend of Gangster and Neo-Western

The Highwaymen is the true story of the pursuit of the infamous criminals who helped Clyde Barrow escape from jail during the Great Depression. As Bonnie and Clyde and their gang left a string of victims behind, the governor of Texas brought two former Texas Rangers out of retirement to track them down. Using classic detective work, the Rangers followed the gang across the South, eventually leading to the violent confrontation that ended Bonnie and Clyde’s criminal lives.

Over the past ten years, The Highwaymen has successfully challenged the popular, romanticized depiction of Bonnie and Clyde. Instead of glamour, the film presents a gritty, detective-style story set in the Old West, and is considered one of Netflix’s strongest original films.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Is an Underrated Anthology Gem

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a collection of six Western stories, each with a unique feel. From outlaws facing the gallows to the struggles of gold miners, the film playfully pokes fun at classic Western tropes. It highlights the harsh realities of the Old West – its unfairness, violence, and unpredictability – but finds humor even in dark and tragic moments, using death and fate to create a darkly comedic look at the characters’ lives.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs playfully examines various types of Western stories, ranging from cheerful cowboy tales to the adventures of dangerous outlaws. Featuring a fantastic cast – including Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, Liam Neeson, and Brendan Gleeson – it’s a film many viewers will enjoy on streaming platforms.

Back to the Future Part III Concludes a Perfect Trilogy

The story follows Doc Brown and Marty McFly as they navigate the ups and downs of time travel. The second film ends with Doc accidentally sent back to 1885, leaving viewers wondering what will happen next. The third film begins with Marty traveling back to 1955 to find Doc’s earlier self and help bring him back to the present. Once there, he discovers Doc is caught in a conflict with Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen, the ancestor of Biff, a villain from the previous films. As they try to fix things, Doc attempts to use the limited technology available in the Old West to send Marty back to 1985.

The final film in Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale’s Back to the Future trilogy ended the series with a heartwarming message of hope and friendship. It’s a fun, family-friendly adventure that blends elements of steampunk, science fiction, romance, and a classic buddy story – a rare combination in the Western genre.

Wind River Is a Harrowing Detective Movie

The movie Wind River opens with the discovery of Natalie Hanson’s body on the Wind River Reservation. Wildlife agent Cory Lambert and FBI agent Jane Banner then join forces to investigate her death. As they dig deeper, they uncover another victim, and their suspicions turn towards employees at a local oil drilling site.

The film Wind River effectively connects historical and current injustices faced by Native Americans, shedding light on a frequently ignored crime problem. It’s a powerful and unsettling watch. As the third film directed by Taylor Sheridan, it laid the groundwork for his hugely successful Yellowstone universe and cemented his reputation for reimagining the modern Western in film.

High Plains Drifter Is Clint Eastwood’s Darkest Movie

The film High Plains Drifter opens with a mysterious gunslinger arriving in the town of Lago. He quickly kills three men who were threatening him. The town’s leaders explain they hired those men to protect them from a returning gang of criminals and desperately ask the stranger to help. He agrees, but instead of simply defending the town, he begins to exploit and antagonize the residents, essentially taking control. Throughout this, he has unsettling dreams about the murder of the town’s former marshal, suggesting he has hidden motives.

Clint Eastwood starred in many memorable films, but few are as unsettling as High Plains Drifter. The movie presents him as a particularly brutal, driven-by-revenge, and morally ambiguous gunslinger. It’s both a fresh take on the revenge western and a genuinely creepy horror film, offering something different for his fans. It won’t appeal to all viewers, but those who enjoy the grittier side of westerns will likely consider this 1970s film a classic.

The Hateful Eight Is a Western Murder Mystery

The Hateful Eight opens with bounty hunter John Ruth transporting a prisoner, Daisy Domergue, and unexpectedly sharing his stagecoach with Marquis Warren, a skilled gunslinger. They soon pick up a former Confederate soldier who is on his way to become the town sheriff. As a fierce blizzard rolls in, the group seeks shelter at Minnie’s Habberdashery, a small cabin in the mountains. However, they find the cabin already occupied by a collection of other travelers, and everyone seems to have a secret. When someone poisons the coffee, leading to multiple deaths, the remaining survivors must uncover the killer hiding amongst them.

This movie is a fantastic blend of John Carpenter’s The Thing and classic Westerns like Bonanza, expertly building suspense and a sense of unease. It’s unusual to find a Western mystery where the audience tries to figure out ‘who did it,’ and the film excels by developing each character as a familiar Western type. The director’s cast delivers some of their best performances, creating a truly captivating and intense mystery.

True Grit Is Frontier Justice at Its Finest

The story of True Grit centers on fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross, who goes to Fort Smith, Arkansas, seeking justice for her father’s murder at the hands of the outlaw Tom Chaney. She enlists the help of Rooster Cogburn, a tough, seasoned marshal known for his quick trigger. Together with a Texas Ranger also pursuing Chaney—this time for the murder of a senator—Mattie and Rooster set off on a dangerous adventure into Indian territory.

Based on the novel by Charles Portis, True Grit is a thought-provoking film that makes viewers consider the line between revenge and justice. The Coen Brothers cleverly reimagine the traditional Western gunslinger through the character of Rooster, both dismantling and celebrating the archetype, resulting in a truly remarkable Western adventure.

2025-11-16 00:39