Hostiles 2017

As the sun sets over the desolate landscape of 1892 New Mexico, a devastating Comanche war party raids the peaceful homestead of Wesley Quaid (Scott Shepherd) and his family. The brutal attack claims the life of Quaid, leaving his wife Rosalie (Rosamund Pike) and their three children to flee in terror. The subsequent gunfire cuts short the lives of all three innocent children as they desperately try to escape. In a heart-wrenching moment, Rosalie finds herself alone and bereft, clutching the lifeless body of her youngest child, a mere infant, amidst the chaos of war.

Meanwhile, in the nearby Fort Berringer, Captain Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) and his men have captured an escaped Apache family, returning them to the fort with a sense of duty fulfilled. Later that evening, Blocker shares a whiskey-fueled camaraderie with old friend Master Sergeant Thomas Metz (Rory Cochrane), a man worn down by the relentless toll of war. Metz’s battle-weary eyes are clouded by a diagnosis of “melancholia,” leaving him devoid of his guns and stripped of his fighting spirit. As they reminisce about their shared battles and lost comrades, the gravity of their experiences hangs heavy in the air.

The morning sun brings an unexpected summons for Captain Blocker to Colonel Abraham Biggs’ (Stephen Lang) office. The stern-faced colonel delivers a presidential decree, ordering Blocker to escort Cheyenne war chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi), who is dying from cancer, and his family back to their ancestral lands in Montana’s Valley of the Bears. Initially resistant to the Colonel’s edict, even threatening court-martial if he refuses, Blocker is met with a mixture of moral conviction and personal guilt when faced with the atrocities committed by Yellow Hawk. A heated exchange ensues between Blocker and East Coast journalist Jeremiah Wilks (Bill Camp), who reminds him of his own complicity in the mistreatment of Native Americans.

As the Colonel’s warning hangs over him like the sword of Damocles, threatening to jeopardize his pension and future, Blocker is left with no choice but to reluctantly accept the mission. He is presented with papers bearing the seal of President Benjamin Harrison, guaranteeing safe passage for Yellow Hawk’s family. The weight of this new responsibility settles upon Captain Blocker as he begins his arduous journey, one that will test not only his mettle as a soldier but also the very fabric of his own moral fiber.

As Captain Blocker leads his party, comprising Chief Yellow Hawk and his family - including Black Hawk (his grown son), Elk Woman (Black Hawk’s wife), Living Woman (Yellow Hawk’s daughter), and Little Bear (Black Hawk’s young son) - as well as a small contingent of soldiers: Corporal Woodson (a seasoned Buffalo Soldier), Lieutenant Kidder (a West Point graduate), Master Sergeant Metz (who regains possession of his guns), and Private Philippe DeJardin (a youthful Frenchman), the group departs from Fort Berringer. However, their journey is soon interrupted by Captain Blocker’s sudden dismounting from his horse, knife in hand, accompanied by the silent handing over of a second blade by one of his fellow soldiers. In a series of curt orders, Blocker demands that Yellow Hawk dismount from his own steed, and subsequently offers the Chief one of the knives, which is rejected. The Captain then directs that the Chief and his son be shackled for the duration of their trip, while the women’s braids are untied.

As they continue on their arduous journey, the group stumbles upon the charred remnants of the Quaid family home. Blocker, Metz, and Woodson decide to investigate further, leaving the rest of the party behind. Upon entering the desolate dwelling, they discover Rosalie, still clutching her lifeless infant, seated beside a bed where her daughters lie shrouded under blankets, their bodies eerily still. Despite the gruesome scene unfolding before them, Rosalie warns the soldiers to maintain silence, claiming the children are merely “sleeping.” Blocker and his men acquiesce, taking the “sleeping” children along with Quaid’s lifeless body back to the group.

The Captain then orders some of his men to procure shovels to dig a grave and provides Rosalie with a clean blanket for her infant. However, she becomes enraged when one of the soldiers approaches her, cautioning him not to touch her child. As reality sets in regarding the fate of her children, Rosalie begins to accept their passing, yet insists on digging her family’s graves herself. Though she initially attempts to do so by hand, ultimately succumbing to exhaustion, she allows the soldiers to dig the graves instead. In a solemn moment, Rosalie implores Blocker to bury her with her family after they meet their demise. As night descends and the camp slumbers, Rosalie seizes an opportunity to steal a pistol, intent on honoring her family’s final wishes. However, Captain Blocker is one step ahead, recovering the firearm and forestalling any potential tragedy.

As the moon casts its silvery glow over the desolate landscape, Rosalie (Rosalie) is offered a poignant gesture of solidarity by a native woman, who presents her with clean clothes stained with the blood of the child. The symbolism is not lost on Rosalie, as she accepts the gift, a testament to the power of human connection in the face of adversity. Meanwhile, Captain Blocker (Captain Blocker) receives a stark warning from Yellow Hawk and his son about the relentless pursuit of their Comanche pursuers, who will not discriminate between white men and natives. The pair implore Blocker to unchain the native men, allowing them to defend their group against the impending attack, but the captain remains resolute in his refusal.

The following day, the group is set upon by the Comanche warriors, resulting in the tragic loss of Private DeJardin’s life and the serious wounding of Corporal Woodson. Amidst the chaos, the Cheyenne men prove themselves valiant allies, with one rider delivering a crushing blow to an attacker and another using his chains to choke the life out of a would-be aggressor. The Comanche who survive the battle flee the scene, leaving behind a grim reminder of their defeat.

In the aftermath, Rosalie is seen repeatedly firing a pistol into the body of a fallen Comanche warrior, her actions a cathartic expression of grief and outrage. As night falls, the group makes camp once more, and Blocker orders the native men’s chains to be removed, a gesture that belies his earlier reluctance to trust them.

As the darkness deepens, Master Sergeant Metz assumes guard duty from Lieutenant Kidder (Lieutenant Kidder), who reveals that the Comanche he killed during the battle was his first victim. Metz shares his own tale of violence, recounting the first time he took a life at just 14 years old while fighting for the Confederate Army. He describes how the act of killing loses its moral weight with repetition, leaving him numb to the consequences. Kidder’s response is telling: he fears that the same desensitization will eventually consume him.

The next day, the group discovers the gruesome remains of three Comanche warriors, slaughtered and left for dead. Captain Blocker deduces that Yellow Hawk and Black Hawk must have slipped away from camp during the night, tracking down their pursuers and exacting a merciless revenge. His ire is directed at Metz, whom he feels should have prevented this outcome.

As the dusty procession arrives at the imposing Fort in Colorado’s rugged terrain, the weary Woodson is finally receiving the medical attention he so desperately needs. Meanwhile, Blocker and Rosalie indulge in a warm dinner at the residence of Lieutenant Colonel McGowan and his wife Minnie, an evening marked by the subtle undertones of social tension. The colonel’s wife, seemingly oblivious to the complexities surrounding Rosalie’s present circumstances, lamented the hardships faced by her native neighbors at the hands of white settlers, only to be hastily silenced by her husband’s stern rebuke. Blocker, seeking a temporary reprieve for Rosalie, inquired about the possibility of her staying with them until she can find suitable passage to her desired destination. McGowan, graciously consenting to their request, warned that the stagecoach wouldn’t be running again until Christmas, leaving Rosalie stuck at the fort until then.

As the evening drew to a close, McGowan presented Blocker with an unusual favor: he asked him to deliver disgraced Sergeant Charles Wills to his home base, where Wills would face execution for his heinous crime - the brutal murder of an innocent family. Blocker agreed to the task, though he remained unaware of the sergeant’s true identity.

The following morning, Captain Blocker paid a visit to the recovering Corporal Woodson, whose fragile state was tempered by the weight of self-doubt and disappointment. Blocker reassured his trusted companion that he had never let anyone down and that his father would be proud of the man he has become. As they parted ways, it was clear that their next meeting would likely be their last.

As the party prepared to depart, with condemned Sergeant Wills and his two burly escorts - Corporal Thomas and Sergeant Malloy - in tow, Rosalie approached Blocker with a request: she wished to continue her journey alongside him instead of remaining at the fort. Blocker acquiesced to her plea, and Rosalie, reinvigorated by fresh attire, returned the clothes previously offered to her by Elk Woman. In a surprising twist, Sergeant Wills and Blocker exchanged knowing glances as they prepared to ride out together, their shared history forging an unspoken bond between them.

As night falls, the group settles into camp, with Wills (tethered to a tree) engaging in a poignant conversation with Blocker. As they reminisce, Wills reveals that Blocker had committed numerous transgressions throughout their journey, yet managed to escape punishment. The tranquility of the night is abruptly shattered when Rosalie and two native women are snatched away by a band of fur traders who stumble upon them washing dishes at a secluded creek. Alerted by Little Bear’s keen senses, Blocker and his men, along with Yellow Hawk and Black Hawk, swiftly track down the kidnappers.

Upon arriving at their campsite, the rescuers bear witness to one of the captors brutalizing Yellow Hawk’s daughter. As the kidnappers retire to their tents, the group seizes the opportunity to launch a surprise attack, eliminating the perpetrators in their sleep. In the chaos, one of the rescuers falls victim to the struggle.

Later that evening, Rosalie persuades Blocker to share her tent during a torrential downpour. Metz interrupts their conversation, and Blocker engages him in a discussion. Metz expresses his intention to depart, after which he pays a visit to Yellow Hawk’s tent, offering the ailing warrior some tobacco as an olive branch. As night wears on, Wills, left exposed to the elements, feigns a fit of coughing to coax Lieutenant Kidder into releasing him from his shackles. Seizing the moment, Wills attacks and eventually gains control of Kidder’s pistol, taking aim and ending the lieutenant’s life.

The sudden gunfire rouses the camp, prompting Blocker to take swift action and strike down Wills as he makes a desperate escape on horseback. Metz, hot on Wills’ heels, soon finds himself facing the same fate. In the morning, the group discovers the lifeless bodies of their two companions. Metz’s corpse is clutching a gun slick with blood, his head bearing the telltale signs of a fatal bullet wound.

As they lay Metz to rest, Blocker refuses to grant Wills the same courtesy, instead choosing to leave him for the vultures. The group eventually reaches Montana, where Blocker and Yellow Hawk share a poignant moment as the latter’s life force begins to wane due to his terminal cancer. In a gesture of forgiveness and camaraderie, they exchange names of fallen comrades before embracing in a symbol of mutual understanding.

As the Valley of the Bears’ solemn silence envelops them, the party pays their respects to Yellow Hawk’s lifeless form by constructing a traditional native burial scaffold. The stillness is abruptly shattered by the arrival of an elderly man and his three young companions on horseback. The elder, with an air of quiet authority, asserts ownership of the land they occupy and demands that Blocker and his party depart, taking Yellow Hawk’s remains with them. Blocker attempts to present the presidential papers, but the old man is unmoved by the diplomatic documents, issuing a dire warning instead. Tensions escalate as Rosalie takes aim at the elderly patriarch, her rifle at the ready.

The old man’s words prove prophetic, for he confidently declares that Rosalie lacks the resolve to pull the trigger. In a flash of steel and lead, she fires the fatal shot, striking down the elder. The ensuing firefight sees Black Hawk, Elk Woman, Living Woman, and Corporal Thomas succumb to their wounds, as well as two of the younger attackers. Amidst the chaos, one surviving assailant limps away, only to be cut down by Blocker’s swift execution.

In the aftermath, Blocker, Rosalie, and Little Bear, now an orphan, stand together on a train platform, transformed into civilians from their military attire. As Rosalie prepares to depart for Chicago, accompanied by Little Bear in tow, she bids farewell to Blocker, praising his character and boarding the train with her young charge. Blocker lingers momentarily before turning away, only to hesitate and ultimately step aboard the departing train, joining Rosalie and Little Bear as they disappear into the distance.