The Burrowers
This film is a perfect example of horror filmmaking on a smallish budget.
I’m not saying The Burrowers is a great western/horror film that every horror director should watch before they attempt a low-budget film. People can make a good-looking movie and need not spend millions upon millions. Get a good director of photography, create some unique monsters and build some tension. Horror movie fans are incredibly forgivable if it all doesn’t come together.
This film feels like a Sherman Alexie poem. Monsters kill a family, Settlers and Calvary think it is the indians. They hunt the indians, the indians are the only ones who know how to defeat the burrowers. The monsters put a hurting on everybody in cool ways that build a neat mythology.
The biggest issue I have with the film is the tagline on the poster. It says “Evil will surface.” I’m not sure what makes the burrowers evil. I would make the tagline “Jerky subterranean creatures eat people at night.” To me evil is Michael Myers, the demon from The Excorcist or Rachel McAdams from Midnight in Paris. I would compare these monsters to Jaws, Tremors or the punk creatures from Aliens. They are not evil. They are creatures who do what they do.
Watch the movie on Netflix. Enjoy some new creatures. Let me know what you think.
Movies, Films & Flix 
Mark, I watched this last night. Great movie until the preaching started, and I guess that’s the “evil will surface” part.
When the squaw says (paraphrase) “… when the white men came and killed all the buffalo…” I was wondering at what point in the movie would they say “If we only had Unobtainium!”.
I hate sanctimonious sermons masked as good horror films; especially when I think it’s a good film. I loved the acting, and the setting and characters didn’t feel hokey. I liked that the most evil character in the film was the Cavalry guy (you know his name… the guy from The Green Mile). I just think a film loses a lot when there’s a self-righteous message thrown in. So, I’m going to order myself a buffalo steak online, eat it rare with some red wine, and raise a glass for General Custer.
I totally agree with you. I liked the cinematography and creatures but the message aspect did bother me. I really dislike having a Hollywood message shoved down my throat. I too will eat a Buffalo burger at Teds. Thanks for the post.