Dispenses with the vérité of The Evictors and Pierce's documentary-style narrative films, but for a lavishly-scored sweeping Fordian western full of breathtaking vista photography, this is still relatively remote, tonally.

Telescopes away from its intimate first third into a finely-paced tiered quest/chase narrative. Effortlessly extracts the romance and tension of legacy Hollywood westerns, nevertheless bent to fit Pierce's singular aesthetic.

That the weakest performer in a strong ensemble (Tye Sheridan as Ellis) is played as audience container/subjective threshold is a problem. That Nichols deliberately and expertly deploys plot contrivance, Hollywood structure and baiting star-turns is a testament to his unique and evolving narrative intelligence. Low-key: realizing just what resolution--or possible lack thereof--certain examinations have been building towards by the end is a thrill that reminds just how elegantly cinema can mix/match plot, ideation and duration. Not quite as strong as Take Shelter, but few films are.

This review reportedly contains spoilers. I can handle the truth.