Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Decent but violent Western explores futility of vengeance.
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The Unholy Trinity
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE UNHOLY TRINITY, it's 1888 in the Montana Territory. Isaac Broadway (Tim Daly) is being sent to the gallows despite his claims of innocence. He makes his son, Henry (Brandon Lessard), vow to avenge him by killing the sheriff of the town of Trinity. On his way there, Henry meets St. Christopher (Samuel L. Jackson), a smooth talker who seems to take an interest in him. When Henry eventually arrives in Trinity, he learns that the man he came to kill, Saul Butler, is already dead. The new sheriff, Gabriel Dove (Pierce Brosnan), advises Henry to leave town. While spending the night at the saloon, Henry gets in trouble with a group of malevolent brothers. St. Christopher saves his life and tells him about a stash of gold, stolen by himself and Henry's father and hidden somewhere in Trinity. Meanwhile, Sheriff Dove has been secretly protecting Running Cub (Q'orianka Kilcher), a member of the Blackfoot tribe, who's accused of killing Butler. It won't be long before all of this simmering violence comes to a head.
Is It Any Good?
This Western has some logical slip-ups and a few other flaws, but it looks and sounds great and has some thoughtful moments, and Brosnan and Jackson both give likable, amusing performances. Coming from the director of Murder at Yellowstone City, The Unholy Trinity feels more like a solid B movie than a Western classic, but it works. It has something to say about the nature of vengeance and shows that very little good ever comes of it. (At one point, a character ironically cries "we ride for justice!" when, indeed, he's actually riding for revenge.)
The relationship between Sheriff Dove and Running Cub is a little confusing (why does he spend an entire night at her hiding place in the woods?), and then there's the matter of how St. Christopher always manages to be just a couple steps ahead of Henry, even though they're traveling to the same places at the same speed. The villains—a team of sneering, violent brothers who viciously beat their younger sister—are also irritatingly one-dimensional. But Jackson's silver-tongue delivery is consistently satisfying, and Brosnan gets in a few moments of wisdom, as well as a couple of bits of humor. Marco Beltrami's score, composed with his son Tristan Beltrami, is likewise gratifying. As The Unholy Trinity winds down, it feels more decent than disappointing, and it's worth a look for fans of the oater genre.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Unholy Trinity's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
What does the movie have to say about vengeance? What's the nature of revenge? Can it be satisfying? Why? Can it ever truly solve a problem?
How are sex workers and sexual activities depicted here? What does the movie support, and what does it seem to frown upon?
What makes the Western genre appealing? What can stories of the Old West tell us about who we are now?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 13, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : July 15, 2025
- Cast : Pierce Brosnan , Samuel L. Jackson , Brandon Lessard
- Director : Richard Gray
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studios : Roadside Attractions , Saban Films
- Genre : Western
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : violence, language and some sexual material
- Last updated : June 23, 2025
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