Genre: Western/Action
Director: Lance Daly
Writer: Jimmy Ellis
Sequel to The Devil's Passage
Cast: Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Garrett Hedlund, Bill Pullman, Lucas Till, Eric Christian Olsen, Jacki Weaver, Kristen Connolly, Stephen Lang, Justin Chatwin, Lennie James
Plot: Harry Holt’s (Mahershala Ali) eyes open suddenly. He tries to move but is handcuffed to his bed. Sheriff Johnstone (Bill Pullman) sits next to him and tells him he isn’t going anywhere. Johnstone starts asking questions, what happened in The Devil’s Passage. Harry tells him that one of the Woodson brothers posed as a lawmen, they didn’t know what they looked like. Harry asks what happened to Wayne to which Johnstone replies there was no saving him. Harry says all of them are dead, Alonzo, Wayne and Wyatt. Harry apologises for not getting the chest but asks for one more chance, he wants vengeance for his friends. At first Johnstone is hesitant but Harry snaps telling him he needs this. Johnstone says yes, on one condition, he takes his deputy Maurice Canton (Lucas Till) as insurance. Johnstone yells out to Maurice, he comes into the room unsure of what Johnstone wants. Johnstone tells him what he will be doing. Maurice doesn’t like the idea and is against it as he wants to do thing by the letter of the law. After a very brief argument Maurice caves in and is ready to go.
Duke (Ethan Hawke) and Bart Woodson (Garrett Hedlund) ride to their mothers house. Duke hitches both their horses as Bart has been wounded from the lawmen’s chase. Duke gets his brother inside as quick as possible and throws him on the lounge. He yells out to Ma Woodson (Jacki Weaver) to tend to Bart. Duke turns around and places the barrel of the rifle on the windowsill. Three lawmen ride in quickly, and look to shoot Duke and Bart. Duke shoots all three men and send them falling from the horses. Ma tells Becky Woodson (Kristen Connolly) to take care of her brother. Ma walks toward Duke and asks if there is any more lawmen coming. Duke hugs his mom and says that was the last of them, they killed the rest.
The camera pans over the land between the Woodson house and the Devils Passage, it shows 25 dead lawmen and horses running wild. Two towns, Twin reach and Sinhill are inbetween the passage and the Woodson household.
Harry is uncuffed by Sheriff Johnstone, he stands and walks over to Maurice and talks to him. Harry asks if he knows who it is they are going after. Maurice nods and says that he knows they are sick men, and will do anything to live. Harry is unsure whether they can get the job done alone, so he asks Johnstone if they can enlist some old friends of Harry’s to help against the Woodson’s. They shake and the two get on their way.
Ma Woodson has cooked up a feast for the return of her boys. She cooked up one of her best cows. The four of them chat about what the boys were doing out for over 6 months. They say that they were on the run from the lawmen. But they add that it was all worth it as they got the chest. Duke grabs the chest and opens it to show Becky and Ma, the gold shines in their face as their mouths open with amazement. Duke tells Bart to stay with Ma and Becky, he tells them that he is going to the Sinhill Saloon. Ma tells him not to cause any trouble.
Duke arrives at the saloon and there is an eery silence as he walks in. Once he orders the rum the silence stops. He sees two men sitting in the corner. The younger one, Arlo Eddleman (Justin Chatwin), gets up and greets him. Arlo tells him to sit down and they can catch up. The other man at the table is Dallas Eddleman, the father of Arlo. Duke tries to shake Dallas’ hand but Dallas sits grumpy with his arms crossed. Duke talks about how fortunate it is he ran into them. He says he has had trouble with the law and asks if they can help him. He tells them to meet him at his house and they will have a better chat. Arlo asks if Becky will be there, Dallas hits him across the head, as Duke has one last shot and rides back home.
Harry and Maurice come upon Twin Reach and it is getting late so the two decide to sleep the night in the local saloon. Upon entering the saloon, Maurice gets stared at. Harry tells him to take his badge off while in this town as many of these men are gunslingers much like him and don’t take well to outside lawmen. After hesitation Maurice takes the badge off. The two men order separate rooms and head upstairs. Maurice says he is tired so he goes to bed. Harry says that he will go round up the reinforcements but before that he sits on his bed and takes out a photo of his wife and daughter. He kisses the photo and heads out.
Harry arrives at a doorstep of his friends house on the outskirts of Twin Reach. He knocks and waits for a beat until a gun comes out the slightly opened door, Harry raises his hands. The door swings open and the man, Ossian McKenzie (Lennie James) lowers the gun. He gives Harry a quick hug and invites him inside. Ossian asks how Lavinia and Madora are going. He reveals he hasn’t spoken to them for four years, he has been on the run, then in prison and then hired by a sheriff. He hopes to one day get back to them. They talk more about what they have been doing with their lives. Mid conversation Harry asks how his old friend Jed C. Akerman is. Ossian says that he is out the back at the moment tending to the horses. Harry says he needs to speak to the both of them, so they walk to the stables. Jed (Eric Christian Olsen) sees them coming and runs toward Harry, shaking his hand. He asks them if they would like to do one last job together. He adds it will be dangerous and they will be going up against the Woodson brothers. However, he adds if they are successful all their charges as per Sheriff Johnstone will be dropped. Jed and Ossian share a knowing look, they agree and Harry tells them they leave in the morning. He leaves and Ossian pats Jed on the back telling him that this is what they have wanted for a long time, ever since Bart killed Jed’s brother.
Ma wakes up Duke, Bart and Becky for breakfast, they are all quiet eating their food until a knock at the door is heard. Bart gets up with is handgun by his side. He opens the door slow but he sees that it is Arlo and Dallas. He gives Arlo a hug and wants to know what brought them here. Duke explains that he wants to talk about hiring them for lookouts. Duke asks Ma and Becky to leave the table, which they do. Bart, Duke, Arlo and Dallas sit around the table and talk about what the plan will be. He says that Arlo and Dallas will sit watch at the old abandoned building. Bart and he will be there to check on them and bring them supplies now and then. Dallas as the grumpy man he is shakes his head and declines, but Arlo is eager to accept. Arlo and Dallas have a quick chat. Dallas comes out of it and says that they will do it on one condition, Arlo gets to marry Becky. Duke looks at his sister who is listening at the door, she looks him in the eyes and nods. Duke shakes Dallas’ hand.
Becky comes out and asks her brother what will happen if there is any lawmen. Duke says that they will kill them, just like how the lawmen killed their father. Becky says good and that they deserve it.
Harry and Maurice ride over to Ossian’s house where Ossian and Jed are awaiting their arrival. Maurice is unsure what to think of them at first however as they continue riding he warms to them. As they ride they run into a flipped carriage. Harry gets off his horse to investigate but senses something. He yells out “AMBUSH” as 5 bandits come around from the other side of the carriage. The four men very easily dispose of the bandits in a gunfight. Maurice objects to the killings but Ossian says “You gotta do what you gotta do” There is still light in the sky so they decide to continue through Sinhill.
Duke and Bart decide to head off to the abandoned building just as the sun is starting to set. As they arrive Arlo states that he sees four men in the distance. He shows Bart and Duke where. They see Harry, Maurice, Ossian and Jed. Bart says, “I remember that n*****” Duke nods and wonders how he is still alive. Duke tells them all to get ready for a fight. They see the four of them setting up camp so they decide to sleep at the building for the night. Harry, Maurice, Ossian and Jed all talk around the campfire, a few laughs are shared by everybody.
The four ‘heroes’ wake up and start to head toward the Woodson house. They come upon the abandoned building and see horses nearby so they decide to investigate. The sound of the startled horses wakes the sleeping men. They hear footsteps so grab guns. They see the four and open fire. No shots hit and the two sides begin yelling at each other. Dallas is too slow at moving behind a cover and is shot by Ossian. Arlo upset tries to tend to his already gone father. Duke pulls him behind cover. The four vs three matchup is too much for Duke, Bart and Arlo, so they slip out the back door and retreat back home. The four gunslingers see them flee and run out to the horses to give chase. Gunshots are going everywhere in the chase but none hit, this sequence goes unbroken for two minutes.
Arriving at the house, Bart, Duke and Arlo dive inside the door. Duke and Bart yell at Ma and Becky to hide. Becky does so and crawls up in a ball under her bed, however Ma doesn’t listen. She grabs a rifle and aims at the four men. Her aim is off and only manages to shoot Ossian in the arm. Although reluctant, to preserve his own life Harry shoots Ma dead. Maurice yells at him for killing a woman. Duke and Bart scream out to their Ma. Bart shuffles along the ground with tears welling to grab the rifle his Ma used. He juggles the gun as he attempts to reload. With dual wielded weapons, he aims at the gunslingers and unloads all his ammo, missing every shot, as they hid behind cover. Bart hides and again reloads his weapon. Jed shuffles over to the hit Ossian and drags him behind a wagon for cover. Jed tourniquets the gunshot wound and asks if he can still fight, Ossian nods. They all sneak behind another cover closer to the house. Duke yells out to them telling them to give up now. Harry laughs at them and says not until he gets what he came for. Bart yells that they will never give them the chest. Harry looks at the men and tell them to move forward. Duke peaks his head over and fires a shot at Harry, hitting his hat.
Ossian and Jed head around the back of the house, and stand at the back door awaiting orders. Harry hiding yells, “NOW!”, Ossian and Jed break the door down. They begin firing at Duke and Bart, each managing to hit one in the arm, however Duke shoots at the right time and hits Ossian in the head. Jed then hides as best as he can with tears welling in his eyes.
Harry and Maurice break down the front door and knock the guns out of Duke and Bart’s hands. Maurice wants them arrested but Harry wants them dead, an argument ensues. Harry says he didn’t want to have to do this, he knocks Maurice out and leaves him lying on the floor all while Jed aims two guns at Duke and Bart, he is itching to kill them. Harry walks over to Becky and tells her to run. She gets up straight away and sprints out the door.
Harry walks over to Duke and Bart. Bart spits on him so Harry punches his head a few times leading to blood dripping down his face. Duke pleads with him to stop but Bart laughs. Harry reaches over to the his gun and places it on Barts forehead, he pulls the trigger, leaving blood everywhere, all over Duke and Harry. Duke screams looking at his ma and his brother. Harry tells Jed he can get his revenge too. Harry punches Duke a few times and lifts him to stand. Jed walks up to him with both guns and says, “this is for my brother and for Ossian.” He unloads all the ammo into Duke’s body. Harry walks toward the chest. He opens it with Jed next to him, Jed’s mouth drops to the floor. Harry picks up the chest as Jed picks up Ossian’s body. Jed puts Ossian on his horse and Harry puts the chest on his. Harry pulls a photo of his wife and child out of his pocket and kisses it. He says he will be home soon. Jed let’s all of the horses around go, so Maurice can’t follow them. Harry and Jed ride into the distance with the chest.
Harry and Jed stop briefly to bury Ossian and pay their respects.
Sheriff Johnstone rides to the Woodson house. He walks inside and is shocked to see Duke, Bart and Ma Woodson dead. He also sees Maurice on the ground unconscious, he splashes him with water and he wakes up. Johnstone asks “what the f*** happened.” Maurice says that Harry was uncontrollable, he couldn’t be stopped, he has the chest. The sheriff helps him up. Maurice asks if he knows where harry will go. Johnstone says he will go home. Maurice asks what they will do. Johnstone says they will find that son of a bitch.
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