It is the Wild West where many strange paths happen. Along the way, a rescue party sets out to find a family of settlers who have gone missing from their homes. It seems that these people have already disappeared in mysterious circumstances, but those looking for them may encounter underground creatures attacking a whole town.
Director J.T Petty's nasty romp followed up Alex Turner's Dead Birds (2004) and preceeded John Geddes Exit Humanity (2011) in the Old West/monster movie mash-up genre; it may well be the best of them.
Beautifully shot and tightly scripted, it's the rare Hollywood genre film that's more concerned with human relationships and behavior than the mysterious supernatural forces that sets the action in motion.
Petty is pursuing a more measured, sympathetic take on demons that feast on the gelatinous innards of innocent victims, manufacturing a tediously wandering picture that craves substance while itching to entertain its absurd grindhouse sensibilities.
At his most placid, JT Petty can make Terrence Malick look like Guy Ritchie. But when he's not going full-'bore', his quiet, creepy brand of terror works on several levels.
