The western horror is a subgenre that feels woefully undermined for material despite the potential that comes with it. Occasionally one will come out from independent productions, but even then the ones that really break through are few and far between, limited to a handful that includes the likes of The Burrowers, Dead Birds, Bone Tomahawk, and if you include non period neo-westerns, you can add Near Dark, Vampires, and Tremors to the mix. It’s small company, one that still seems to be in search of a true classic. The most recent attempt in this particular cinematic fusion is with The Pale Door.
The film follows the Dalton gang, who have recently taken part in a train robbery that didn’t quite go as planned. Not because they couldn’t get to the loot, it simply turns out that there was no loot to be stolen. All they found was a chest that carried a girl named Pearl (Natasha Bassett). Naturally baffled by the revelation, the gang follows Pearl to her town, specifically to a brothel that is run by Maria (Melora Walters), where she claims they will not only get the rest, food, and medical attention needed, but also a reward for saving her.
Once they reach the brothel, the men are taken care of. At least, all but Jake (Devin Druid), the younger brother to the gang’s leader, Duncan (Zachary Knighton), who was shot during the robbery. Jake is young, innocent, very out-of-place hanging out with the gang. He’s just not cut out for that kind of life, but it’s is soon revealed that there is another reason for him to feel uneasy. The film then takes a rather sudden From Dusk Till Dawn style turn into horror as it turns out the women in the brothel are actually a coven of witches.
Western bandits versus witches sounds like an awesome premise, one that almost seems damn near impossible to get wrong. Unfortunately, The Pale Door doesn’t quite deliver on its intriguing setup. Part of it is due to some really obvious budget limitations, which the filmmakers don’t do a good job of hiding at certain points. I’m reminded of a flashback sequence involving Maria’s origin where she is burned at the stake in the middle of her small town, and I couldn’t help but notice how none of the signs on the buildings had any names on them. I typically don’t want to hold the production value of a film against it, but it’s the fact that there are clear moments where the film doesn’t find a way to work around it that is disappointing.
The script from director, Aaron B. Koontz, and his co-writers, Cameron Burns and Keith Lansdale, has a lot of the right pieces. The buildup to the brothel is solid, they do a good job at setting up the bond between Jake and Duncan, and many of the gang members get moments showcase a variety of personality. The witches are presented as full on monsters, with little humanity or empathy for their perspective. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that of course, but it does highlight some missed opportunities.
The performances are solid across the board. It’s largely made up of character actors who all bring weight and character to the film. Druid and Knighton bring emotional heft. Bill Sage brings a cool cowboy swagger. Pat Healy and Stan Shaw help ground the story with very understated and weary presences. Noah Segan is delightful as the comic relief. Tina Parker milks the hell out of the few lines she gets as the gang’s sole female member. And Melora Walters relishes the role as the villain, bringing some occasionally bewildering line readings that is really fun to watch.
The Pale Door definitely has things going for it. It has moments that are inspired and haunting and entertaining, and the the gore effects are fantastic as well. However, it loses momentum awfully quick, especially once the surviving gang members find themselves stuck in a church. You can see where Koontz is stretching every resource at his disposal for all its worth, sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t. This is only his second feature film, following his 2017 debut, Camera Obscura, and he still has plenty of room to grow, which I think he certainly has the potential for. The Pale Door is by no means a total dud, it has its moments, and if you’re just scrolling for something to kill and hour and a half, it’ll get the job done, but you can’t help but picture a much better movie in your head as you’re watching it.
The Pale Door will be available in theaters, on demand and digital on August 21, 2020.