Iron Brothers is an American western about two brothers must fight for survival in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains.
We tend to look at the old west with a sort of inherent nostalgia, romanticizing life in the early days of the frontier, embracing the exploration and violence with cinematic flair. From classic epic tales of ‘Cowboys versus Indians’ on the open range to rugged lawmen riding out against malicious outlaws, the genre hasn’t evolved much, with only a few titles of significance over the past several decades. How do you make anything different about something so firmly entrenched in formula?
This was surely on the minds of co-director’s Josh and Tate Smith, whose independent release Iron Brothers may not break a whole lot of ground in terms of expectation, but does experiment enough with the tropes that it deserves some recognition. An unconventional film in many respects, it sidesteps a number of landmarks in the well-worn path, telling a genuinely compelling story of survival that makes for a worthy addition to the lot.
In the lowlands near the Rocky Mountains, brothers Abel and Henry Irons (Tate Smith and Porter Smith) are fur traders, living in a small wooden shack with very little to their names, aside from an old horse named Lilly. Times are hard, and pelts aren’t fetching the same dollars they once were, but that’s now only a minor concern as on the same day, one brother sees a trade go wrong, losing Lilly and running for his life, and the other chancing upon a band of Shoshone Indians, and in a misunderstanding, leaving one dead and himself hunted. Forced to pack up and escape, the brothers must bond and work together to not just outlast those hunting them, but the very hand of nature that seems bent on destroying them.
A true family affair, the Smith brothers earn points for at least delivering a sensationally authentic experience, filmed on location in heavily-packed snow-clogged forests and plains, the small film especially good looking with Josh Smith serving as cinematographer as well. Credit goes to Porter and Sean Willamson also for their plaintiff, often poignant score that on many occasions, really strikes on an emotional level.
Still, this is a low budget film and as such, there are some issues, mostly with audio quality quirks and a few stilled (or over-the-top) performances that don’t quite ring true. However, this is such a powerfully earnest production with a more than impressive physical and narrative presence, it’s hard not to dismiss the few setbacks.
While this might lack the momentum of a bigger budget film, with many long stretches of simple conversation and grand views of the open country, there is a long term hook as the young men find themselves running deeper into trouble against the greater power of nature. This isn’t filled with fast-paced chases and urgent escapes, but rather a slow boil as the two trudge along in the snow, trying to make it to the next day. That’s not to say there aren’t a few moments of action, as a few pop up, but this is far less about the hunt than the bond.
This is a well made indie film whose minimalism somehow lends it more authenticity. The more this clicks along, the more it feels realistic, the stripped down, close quarters fight for life especially gripping in the final moments in a battle that is raw and brutal, its lack of obvious choreography and stylistic fighting flourishes welcome. A flawed but highly-entertaining work, The Iron Brothers is a worthy alternative to the expected western.