20 Best Western Movies With Amazing Plot Twists

The Western genre is defined by its simplicity. The good guys in white hats, villains in black. Noble lawmen battling ruthless outlaws. Society seems all in order except for the occasional gunslinging violence. But every now and then, a movie will flip that classic script and sneak complexity into its characters and narrative twists into its third act to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. These stomach-dropping reveals are shocking, yanking us right out of our comfort zones.

In this list, we have picked out 20 of the most clever and twisted Westerns to ever grace the big screens. The deceptions and double-crosses they infuse in the plot are more surprising than you can prepare yourself for. Because no matter how well you think you know the Wild West, chances are these movies will attack you with plot twists so shocking it will leave your jaws agape.

Whether it is a much-anticipated showdown between the hero and villain that never comes or a certain character’s death you never expected, these movies are perfect if you’re looking for Westerns with amazing plot twists.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for westerns both old and new

20 Gunslinger (1956)

After her marshal husband is murdered, Rose Hood automatically gets the badge for two weeks, following which a new marshal will be appointed to their Old West town. Rose is burning with revenge, and her eyes are set on the unscrupulous Erica Page, the saloon-mistress. Wary, Erica employs Cane Miro, a hired gun, to threaten Rose into backing off. But when Cane falls for Rose, a climactic showdown becomes more inevitable.

Features Classic Genre-Bending Twists

Director Roger Corman drew intrigue out of an unassuming premise by subverting conventional clichés of the Western genre. He had viewers guessing Rose’s next move as the menacing hired gun lurked into the narrative. John Ireland, Beverly Garland and Allison Hayes deliver tense and dedicated performances, with Garland’s sheriff surprising all.

In Corman’s words, “I want to do a picture but with a woman as the sheriff.” This gender-bending twist added more perspective to themes of justice and left a mark on cinema. Stream on Hoopla

19 Man of the West (1958)

Man of the West is a Western movie with noir elements. It is based on the 1955 novel The Border Jumpers, by Will C. Brown and it follows Link Jones, who dissociates from his criminal past and intends to return home to put his money to good use. However, when he boards the train to Fort Worth, he is jumped by bandits who threaten to take the lives of Billy and Sam, Jones’ companions. To save them, Jones agrees to partake in a bank heist.

Filled With Complex Character Studies

Directed by Anthony Mann, this emotionally gritty western dives into themes of identity and redemption. Gary Cooper gives one of the finest performances of his career as a man torn between his duties and a native way of life. The shocking plot twists heighten tensions as certain horsemen learn of Link’s true identity.

At the time of its release, the movie was greatly panned by critics, except for Jean-Luc Godard, who said that “each shot of Man of the West gives one the impression that Anthony Mann is reinventing the western.” Stream on Tubi

18 The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

At the turn of the 20th century, Ransom “Ranse” Stoddard arrived in the frontier town of Shinbone to attend the funeral of Tom Doniphon. The local newspaper and townsfolk, all aware of his brave and noble deeds, urge Ranse to tell the story of how he became a state senator and came to kill the notorious outlaw Liberty Valance. He recalls his past, from his arrival in Shinbone as a young man to later years when he gained recognition in town for his noteworthy legal work.

Myths and Legends on Collision Course

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is an elegant masterpiece. Told mainly in flashbacks, it creates a profound allegory for politics, media manipulation and the mythology of the Old West, which says, “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.” James Stewart and John Wayne are brilliant as Stoddard and Doniphon, their complex relationship forming the heart of multiple plot twists, a major one being that it was Doniphon who shot Liberty Valance. Stream on Paramount+

Related: 20 Classic Black and White Westerns Worth Revisiting

17 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

The third and final installment in the Dollars Trilogy, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly follows three gunslingers competing in the American Civil War to find a fortune in buried Confederate gold. The Good is Blondie, a professional and mysterious man known for his solo escapades. The Bad is Tuco, a wanted outlaw who shows no mercy or loyalty. The Ugly is Angel Eyes, a cold-blooded hitman who enjoys killing. They form an unlikely alliance but each man looks to deceive or betray the other.

Sergio Leone’s Deceptive Masterpiece

Sergio Leone’s epic Oscar-winning masterpiece not only aligned with the other two movies in the trilogy but also twisted the genre with a plot so dark and cynical and manipulative and unpredictable that it redefined Westerns forever.

The complex, ambiguous characters were brought to life by Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach and Lee Van Cleef, who made the narrative filled with suspense and delight. Marking a shocking yet stunning departure, the movie ends with Blondie splitting the gold with Tuco. Stream on Max

16 The Great Silence (1968)

A politically charged Western inspired by the deaths of Che Guevara and Malcolm X, The Great Silence follows a mute gunslinger, Silence, who drifts into an impoverished town in the extreme region in Utah and works with the local bandits to exact revenge upon certain bounty killers who have kept the town under control through ruthless acts. When a young widow seeks help from Silence, he makes it his mission to go up against Loco and a corrupt banker Henry Pollicut.

The Great Silence Has Bitter Plot Twists

Under Sergio Corbucci’s immaculate direction, this visually striking Spaghetti Western turns into a thought-provoking examination of corruption and how it affects the innocent. The ultimate debate of good versus evil leaves a profound mark on the genre. The movie is shot in Corbucci’s style, with a messy, over-edited, out-of-focus style that makes every scene more stylized and shocking, deliberate and bleak. Stream on Hoopla

15 The Wild Bunch (1969)

With the arrival of the 20th century, the American Old West is fading into history. On one hand, there are lawmen systematically hunting criminals, and on the other hand, there are remaining outlaw gangs trying to adapt to the changing frontier. The Wild Bunch follows an aging outlaw gang on the Mexico–United States border, led by Pike Bishop, planning to retire after one last job. But when the plan goes awry, they’re thrust back into the world of crime.

Confounds You With Alliances And Rivalries

Heavily criticized at the time of its release due to its excessive use of violence and crude dialogue, The Wild Bunch eventually became a landmark in the genre. Treated as outcasts by both sides of the law, Bishop’s gang form a band of brothers like no other. Their rivalries and alliances with bandits and revolutionaries throughout the movie deliver brutal and unexpected punches, with Bishop’s former partner’s betrayal being the most shocking plot twist in the movie. Stream on Classix

14 McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

Warren Beatty and Julie Christie star in McCabe and Mrs. Miller as the titular characters. Set in 1902, the movie introduces John McCabe, a mysterious gambler who arrives in a remote town dreaming of striking it rich using his aggressive personality. He establishes a makeshift brothel and is soon approached by Constance Miller, who convinces John to let her come aboard and manage the business side. It isn’t long until their ambitions meet a fatal end.

They Were Trying to Live Off the Beauty

McCabe and Mrs. Miller is directed by Robert Altman, who defies audiences’ expectations at every gloomy turn by throwing the most jarring twists at them. Beatty and Christie are perfectly cast as two ambitious dreams left cold by fate’s harsh realities. But it is Altman’s refusal to portray them in simple terms that truly makes the movie stand out. They are complex and layered, their poetic narrative painting perhaps the greatest requiem for the Old West ever filmed. Rent on Apple TV

13 Unforgiven (1992)

Unforgiven‘s William Munny is a retired, remorseful outlaw and killer who gave up on violence upon marrying, but is widowed now and is trying to live an honest life as a former while raising his two young kids. But when a boastful young man named Schofield Kid arrives looking for William’s help in pursuing two cowboys with a $1000 bounty on their heads, he agrees to take one last job only to find his own past coming back to haunt him.

Eastwood and His Shocking Nature

Critics describe Unforgiven as “the finest classical western to come along since perhaps John Ford’s 1956 The Searchers.” And while that’s true, Clint Eastwood’s unforgettable western also stands out in its graceful portrayal of an antihero that’s both compassionate and cruel.

Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, and Richard Harris are brilliant in their roles, but it is Eastwood’s shocking revelation of Munny’s true nature that packs a punch. Unforgiven won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Eastwood. Rent on Apple TV

Related: Clint Eastwood’s 8 Favorite Western Movies

12 High Plains Drifter (1973)

Clint Eastwood directed and stars in High Plains Drifter as a lone and mysterious gunslinger who rides into the depressed mining town of Lago and kills the three gunmen hired to protect the town. Next morning, the townspeople, desperate for keeping their planned rebuilding of the town safe from outlaws Bridges and the Carlins, hire the drifter to be their protector. But it soon becomes clear that The Stranger has his own destructive motives.

The Stranger’s Sinister Charade

A unique and surreal Western that isn’t talked about much, High Plains Drifter is ripe with little plot twists at every baffling turn. Most of these center around Eastwood, who uses ingenious, bizarre tactics to terrorize the townspeople, and when they try to kill him, he cleverly slips away until the situation escalates towards an inevitable confrontation. The movie has a distinct blend of ominous humor and indelible menace, which establishes it has an audacious genre classic. Stream on Fubo TV

11 Gunsmoke: The Last Apache (1990)

Loyal fans must’ve heard of this underrated gem. For the rest, Gunsmoke: The Last Apache is a Western television film based upon the 1955 TV series Gunsmoke. It centers around Marshal Matt Dillon, who receives a letter from an old acquaintance urging him to return to Arizona territory. Upon arrival at the Yardner ranch, he learns that Mike’s daughter has been abducted by a vicious Apache named Wolf, and she needs his help to save her.

A Tense Battle for Survival

Directed by Charles Correll, Gunsmoke: The Last Apache is a movie that boasts genuine Western grit. It features mountainous perils and Apache attacks, as well as an ambiguous take on who the true enemy is. James Arness plays Matt Dillon quite fiercely, taking on hostile frontier dangers and life-or-death stakes like a true marshal. The biggest plot twist in the movie is Dillon finding out that Beth is his daughter too, following which he enters Geronimo’s camp to rescue her.

10 No Country For Old Men (2007)

Set in rural Texas, No Country For Old Men begins with a drug deal gone wrong, which ends in several men dead. Welder and hunter Llewelyn Moss arrives at the scene and finds bags filled with money. His simple act of taking the cash for himself catapults Moss into a nightmarish trail where he is followed by a psychopathic killer, Anton Chigurh and a small-town sheriff Ed Tom Bell, who is aware of the evil Chigurh is.

Here, Evil Has No Boundaries

A chilling Western that knows no limits in its murderous pursuit of the two main characters, No Country For Old Men is directed by the Coen Brothers, who use their signature flair to craft an incredible neo-Western. The movie’s ruthless precision and meditative nature makes it both haunting and impactful.

The ending of the movie is most shocking as it never shows an epic showdown between Chigurh and Moss. Instead, Moss is killed by assassins and Chigurh gets away unscathed. Stream on Fubo TV

9 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

The second adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s 1953 short story of the same name, 3:10 to Yuma revolves around rancher Dan Evans, who has lost his honor and is on the verge of losing his farm to a wealthy man named Glen Hollander. He reluctantly accepts a job to escort infamous outlaw Ben Wade to Yuma for hanging. But Wade, who is as cunning as he is charming, complicates the journey by challenging Evans’ psyche.

Masterfully Crafted Twists and Turns

3:10 to Yuma stars Russell Crowe and Christian Bale in the lead roles. Despite being complete opposites, their exchanges play out effortlessly. They deepen the unpredictability of the narrative, which dabbles in psychological complexity, escalating tension, and themes of morality. The movie received praise for its portrayal of how any man’s motives can change on the lawless frontier, with critics calling it “mesmerizing” and “almost absurdly satisfying.” Stream on Peacock

8 The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

This revisionist Western is written and directed by Andrew Dominik, who adapts it from Ron Hansen’s 1983 novel of the same name. In the movie, the legendary Jesse James is seen trying to keep a low profile. Because with his fame, his distrust towards enemies and allies grows in equal measure.

When young Robert Fod meets James, he is fascinated by the outlaw and craves him approval. Over time, Ford becomes so notorious that he commits an act that changes the course of the American West forever.

Shrouded in Plain Betrayal

At first, it appears as if The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is all about the events that lead up to the titular killing. But upon closer look, you realize that Dominik’s iconic Western actually deconstructs the myth of James through intricate interpersonal drama and subtle character evolution.

The slow-burning tensions as well as the aftermath of the assassination force viewers to probe and unscrew history, revealing how the movie is equal parts thoughtful and compelling. Stream on Fubo TV

Related: 10 Greatest Western Movies, According to the American Film Institute

7 True Grit (2010)

True grit transports you to the harsh landscape of the American Southwest and introduces you to a 14-year-old farm girl named Mattie Ross, who wants to find her father’s murderer, Tom Chaney, at any cost. She hires the arrogant U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn, who is drunk and disheveled most of the time but also the best gunfighter for the job. Mattie and Cogburn are accompanied by LaBoeuf, another ranger looking for Chaney.

The Climax Will Leave You in Awe

Written, directed, edited and produced by the Coen Brothers, True Grit is an exquisite remake that stands shoulder to shoulder with the original, which honestly is rare in the genre. It stars Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld and Matt Damon, who reinvent the iconic characters for a new generation.

But the film’s deceptiveness is most felt in the unpredictable tests that the characters go through, each igniting a climax that leaves audiences in awe of the emotion and profundity. Stream on Paramount+

6 Django Unchained (2012)

Quentin Tarantino’s revisionist tribute to spaghetti Westerns is set in 1858 Texas. It centers around Django, a slave who was sold off and separated from his wife Broomhilda von Shaft. He encounters German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz who offers Django his freedom in exchange for help tracking three criminals Django had former knowledge of.

Eventually, Schultz turns Django into his apprentice and together they plan to rescue Broomhilda, who works as a house slave under the nefarious plantation owner Calvin Candie.

Deconstructs the Western Framework

Almost every movie on this list has shattered conventions of the western framework with its tense and explosive storytelling. Taratino’s Django Unchained is no different. It stars Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz as the electric leads questioning slavery, injustice, and racial prejudice through controversial humor.

Towards the end of this blood-soaked drama, Schultz’s true allegiance surfaces and he sacrifices himself for Django to successfully save Broomhilda. The plot twist is part of the reason why the movie was a critical and box office success. Stream on Starz

5 Bone Tomahawk (2015)

Combining elements of Western drama and cannibalistic horror into an extremely unique and disturbing narrative, Bone Tomahawk takes viewers to 1890s New Mexico, where Sheriff Franklin Hunt and three other men form a posse and venture into the town’s desolate region to rescue a bunch of people who have been kidnapped by a Native American clan. The men soon learn that their enemies aren’t just brutal, but also impossible to fight. Let alone defeat.

Reveals Monsters that Lurk in Shadows

Even though Bone Tomahawk felt like a Western that was building towards a traditional and unflinching battle, it stunned viewers with its increasingly mysterious atmosphere and unrestrained frontier violence. Not only that, the tribe Hunt and his men were looking for, were known as Troglodyte, and they turned out to be fiercely intelligent, inbred cannibals. The audacious choice by writer/director S. Craig Zahler took the genre to new and harrowing heights. Stream on Hulu

4 Slow West (2015)

Written and directed by John Maclean in his directorial debut, Slow West is another revisionist Western starring Kodi Smit-McPhee as a young Scotsman named Jay Cavendish. He is traveling through the American frontier seeking the woman he loves, Rose Ross. But Jay knows little about surviving in the lawless Wild. So he appoints an Irish bounty hunter, Silas Selleck, for protection. What follows is Jay learning more about his harsh and wild surroundings.

Has Tiny Plot Twists Placed Throughout

For his first venture, Maclean conjures a beautiful and bittersweet tale. Michael Fassbender is captivating as the paternalistic villain opposite Smit-McPhee’s wide-eyed hero who realizes that the rules of love aren’t the same in the Old West. Its thoughtful narrative is upended by twists like Cavendish’s love being wanted for a $2,000 bounty and Silas having troubled intentions. Overall, the movie plays out against a landscape of lyrical chaos and unsentimental horror. Stream on Max

3 The Hateful Eight (2015)

In post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunter John Ruth and his handcuffed wanted Fugitive “Crazy” Daisy Domergue run into another bounty hunter and Union Army veteran Major Marquis Warren on their way to Red Rock. With a great blizzard approaching, they seek temporary refuge in a stagecoach stopover with a couple others. Soon, suspicions of deceit and violence rise between the eight strangers.

A Twisted and Claustrophobic Western Mystery

The Hateful Eight is Quentin Tarantino’s star-studded masterpiece that plays out at an epic pace, unfolding entirely within the walls of a shelter. And while the claustrophobic walls itself act as an intimate character, amplifying every scene into a shockingly twisted revelation (or the lack thereof), it is the dismantling of preconceptions about western tropes that leaves viewers reeling with mistrust.

To add, John Ruth’s death by poison was a major cliffhanger between the first and second half of the movie. Stream on Fubo TV

Related: Quentin Tarantino’s 20 Favorite Spaghetti Westerns

2 The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is an anthology Western by the Coen Brothers. It comprises six individual stories set during the American Frontier era. In the opening vignette, the ever-smiling gunslinger Buster Scruggs sings as he wanders the Old West. The rest of the stories include a grizzled prospector digging for gold, an aging impresario and his artist vying for profit, a bunch of travelers on a stagecoach, and more.

It’s Ride or Die Until the Very End

The Coens are known for dramatizing the most deceptively humorous and philosophically moving stories. And this collection of Western tales, told in the form of small stories, allows for deeper characterization. Each segment leaves a lingering impression on the viewers and delivers surprises that resemble the unpredictable nature of the Old West. Overall, it is a satisfying, genre-bending Western for a modern age. Stream on Netflix

1 The Power of the Dog (2021)

Starring an incredibly talented cast of Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog is a psychological Western that transports you to 1920s Montana.

The main character is Phil Burbank, a wealthy ranch owner who reacts with malice and cruelty when his brother George marries local widow Rose and brings her home. Phil harbors disdain for her and her sensitive son Peter, ruthlessly tormenting the pair and revealing clues about his own painful past.

Peels Back Layers of Masculinity

Writer/director Jane Campion adapts Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel with great precision, nailing every uneasy confrontation and psychological duality of its characters. Each of the stars delivers a heartbreakingly honest performance.

But the movie’s true strength lies in peeling back layers of masculinity to ask what really goes on under that baseless bravado. Peter poisoning Phil to protect his mother, probes old wounds and transforms the movie into so much more than a Western. Stream on Netflix