10 Best Westerns of the 1990s, Ranked

The Western is one of the most enduring genres in cinematic history, as Hollywood has been making films about gunslingers and cowboys ever since the dawn of the silent era in the early 20th century. Although many would argue that the genre peaked in the middle of the century during the supposed “Golden Age of Hollywood,” Westerns made a serious comeback in the 1990s thanks to several revisionist films that complicated viewers’ understanding or recurring archetypes. Although there was room for nostalgia, many of the decade’s best Westerns took bold new takes on formula.

The 1990s Westerns succeeded by merging with different genres, as there was room for stories that were satirical, inflammatory, and surprising. In addition to producing two Best Picture winners, the Western genre had some of its biggest hits of all-time in this highly consequential decade. Here are the ten best Westerns of the 1990s, ranked.

10 ‘The Quick and the Dead’ (1995)

Directed by Sam Raimi

The Quick and the Dead was ostensibly a throwback to a classical era of Westerns, but director Sam Raimi infused the same level of creative filmmaking and shocking violence that had made his films within the Evil Dead franchise so beloved among cult horror fans. The premise of various gunslingers vying to win a quick draw competition allowed Raimi to incorporate a significant cast of great actors as the film’s idiosyncratic set of heroes and villains.

The Quick and the Dead was notable for putting a woman at the front and center of the narrative, as Sharon Stone’s work stood out in a genre that had largely been dominated by men. Although there are certainly some very emotional moments, The Quick and the Dead may have served as a great introduction to the Western genre for younger viewers that hadn’t already seen all the classics.

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9 ‘Desperado’ (1995)

Directed by Robert Rodriguez

Desperado served as a loose remake of Robert Rodriguez’s low budget feature film debut El Mariachi, and included a number of incredible practical stunts that actually put the lives of the cast and crew in danger.Desperado managed to differentiate itself from El Mariachi thanks to the instantly iconic performance by Antonio Banderas; his role as a playful, yet noble drifter determined to bring a band of criminals to justice turned him into one of the biggest proprietors of the western genre moving forward.

Desperado includes many great gun battles and sword fights that still hold up today, as well as a romantic component that is absent in many of Rodriguez’s most recent films. Although Rodriguez would later close out the unusual franchise with his 2003 sequel Once Upon A Time In Mexico, Desperado still stands as the most entertaining and endlessly rewatchable entry in this stellar trilogy of revisionist adventures.

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8 ‘Dead Man’ (1995)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch

Dead Man allowed the idiosyncratic writer/director Jim Jarmusch to take his own unique spin on the Western genre in a film that bucked against convention at every moment. Jarmusch is often at his best when he is exploring the mundanity of life, and this approach works perfectly for a film that aims to explore how truly miserable it must have been to live during this challenging moment in American history.

Johnny Depp provides a unique performance that is atypical for the Western genre, as he does not have the bold physicality and effortless charisma that made stars like Gary Cooper and John Wayne so iconic during the Golden Age. An unusual soundtrack and stunning black-and-white cinematography ensure that Dead Man is a satirical take on the conventions of the genre that looks, feels, and sounds unlike any other Western that has come before.

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7 ‘Dances With Wolves’ (1990)

Directed by Kevin Costner

Dances With Wolves was a very impressive directorial debut from Kevin Costner that aimed to take a more sensitive approach to America’s relationship with the indigenous people whose land was taken away from them. Unlike the other Westerns that Costner had made, Dances With Wolves is relatively light on action, as it chooses to spend more time developing an authentic examination of native customs and why their traditions are worth upholding.

Dances With Wolves is a three-hour film that earns its extended running time, as it features stunning cinematography that celebrates the beauty of the nation’s natural vistas. Although it’s been parodied several times since (with many modern pundits comparing it to James Cameron’s work on the Avatar films), Dances With Wolves was a major moment in Western history that challenged the audience to think critically about who the real heroes were.

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6 ‘Legends of the Fall’ (1994)

Directed by Edward Zwick

Legends of the Fall is an epic historical examination of family legacy, honor, and sacrifice that has its heart on its sleeve; it’s rare to see a film of such grandiose ambition that is unabashedly sincere in the same way that Legends of the Fall is. Although it’s a film that is so classical in its approach that it risked feeling antiquated, Legends of the Fall features such stunning performances that it is easy to get wrapped up in the intimacy of the narrative.

The great Sir Anthony Hopkins gives one of his best performances ever in Legends of the Fall as a proud patriarch who grows concerned about the world that he will leave behind for his sons. The film was also notable for featuring the breakout role of Brad Pitt’s career before he would draw in greater acclaim for his work in Twelve Monkeys and Se7en the following year.

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5 ‘City Slickers’ (1991)

Directed by Ron Underwood

City Slickers was proof that the Western genre could be seamlessly transitioned to modern times, as this Billy Crystal comedy took a fun spin on the concept of average joes having to do the same hard work that the heroes in cowboy movies were accustomed to doing. City Slickers succeeds because it is well aware of the tropes of the Western genre, as the characters all have a deep knowledge of previous classics.

City Slickers is well-remembered for the iconic performance by Jack Palance, who won a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a temperamental, grizzled cowboy. Despite the more comedic themes,City Slickers has a deep respect for the cowboy way-of-life that comes across in its genuinely moving ending. With all that being the case, the less said about City Slickers II, the better.

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4 ‘The Mask of Zorro’ (1998)

Directed by Martin Campbell

The Mask of Zorro took a character that belonged to the public domain and turned him into the superhero of a new generation, with both Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas co-starring as two men that take on the “Zorro” persona in order to prevent a cabal of ruthless politicians from helping California to secede from the Union.

Although the swashbuckling action that the film pulls off is some of the best of the decade, The Mask of Zorro is just as effective as a romance thanks to the tremendous chemistry between Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The Mask of Zorro is gleefully nostalgic, yet makes all the right updates in order to ensure that the themes are just as relevant for modern viewers. It’s not the first (and won’t be the last) film about the character, but it’s hard to find another swashbuckling adventure that is as purely entertaining as The Mask of Zorro.

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3 ‘Tombstone’ (1993)

Directed by George P. Cosmatos

Tombstone is perhaps the best film made about the infamous Doc Holliday incident, as Wyatt Earp and The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral don’t take nearly as much pleasure in showing what an interesting Western team up would look like. Tombstone features one of Kurt Russell’s most badass performances ever, but ensures that Val Kilmer has enough screen time in order for there to be a legitimate debate over who is the real scene-stealer.

Tombstone is lovingly classical and unafraid to be broad, yet also provides some sensitive insights on masculine relationships. It’s also a film that is unafraid to have clearly identified heroes and villains. With a stacked cast that includes such venerable names as Billy Bob Thorton, Powers Boothe, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, and Michael Biehn among many others, there’s something new to discover about Tombstone upon every rewatch.

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2 ‘Lone Star’ (1996)

Directed by John Sayles

Lone Star is an inventive neo-Western that examines the legacy of western heroes through a twisty storyline that includes several powerful flashback sequences. Director John Sayles has written and directed more great films about the intersectionality between American culture and politics than nearly anyone else, and Lone Star is a powerful deconstruction of how law enforcement and family honor are reflected in the Western genre. Chris Cooper is a great actor who is often cast in supporting roles, but Lone Star offered him the rare opportunity to take on a leading role.

Lone Star contains a genuinely captivating mystery storyline that reaches surprising and truly heartbreaking conclusions by the time that the story wraps up. While it is not nearly as action packed as some of the more commercially successful Westerns of the decade, Lone Star provokes interesting discussions about morality that are just as compelling.

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1 ‘Unforgiven’ (1992)

Directed by Clint Eastwood

Unforgiven is one of the darkest Westerns ever made, as Clint Eastwood peered into the psychology of a true villain who is forced to go on one last mission in what may serve as a path to redemption. Although there are certain instances in which Unforgiven feels like a “legacy sequel” to the Western films that Eastwood has been starring in ever since his breakout in The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, the haunting final moments ensure that it is something else entirely.

Unforgiven includes some truly amazing performances from its entire cast, as Gene Hackman’s performance as the ruthless Sheriff Little Bill earned him a very well-deserved Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Although it wasn’t the last great Western of the 1990s, Unforgiven felt like it was closing a chapter on a very unique period in the genre’s history.

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