I have to admit that my eyes twitch a bit whenever an indie Western crosses my desk. It's not because I hate Westerns. 

I don't. 

You guessed it. It's because a Western is awfully hard to pull off these days in the indie world. Oh sure, it can be done. After all, Westerns have long been around and some of the greatest in cinematic history have come out of the earliest days of cinema. 

These days, however, it just seems rare that a Western really grabs me. 

So, it's to the credit of director Deborah Correa, screenwriter Ron Yungul, and this small but mighty ensemble cast that The War Between grabbed me. 

The War Between is set in April, 1862. It's the early days of the U.S. Civil War. While we often think of the North and the South, The War Between is set in the Arizona Territory and centers around three men - a Union soldier (Damian Conrad-Davis) with a head wound and nary a memory, a paroled confederate private (Sam Bullington), and an exiled Chiricahua Apache (Wayne Charles Baker).

The best Westerns, at least in my opinion, find their souls in the cultural heartbeat of what it means to be a Western. While there may very well be lots of action in a Western, an effective Western is always so much more. Correa tackles Yungul's effective and often intense storytelling with patience and grit. The film explores a lesser known corner of Civil War history but also explores the universality of the roots of conflict. Some would say we're living in a time right now where history is showing signs of repeating itself. We're at a sort of "What do I do now?" moment in history and, indeed, that is very much the dilemma that presents itself in The War Between. 

Conrad-Davis's Israel Terry is who we meet first, though it's not long before Bullington's Moses Jennings  enters the picture. The two men are sworn enemies, deeply ingrained biases borne out of culture and relentlessly trained identity. 

Yet, if they are to survive there likely must be more. 

These conflicts and biases are amplified when Wayne Charles Baker's Great Seer enters the picture. Perhaps it is my own indigenous roots, but once Great Seer entered the scene I became completely mesmerized. It needs to be said that Evan Jake Cohen's lensing is practically a character unto itself. Cohen grasps the unforgiving landscape and the unforgiving nature of the human mind. 

Yet, Yungul's dialogue sparks more than simply easy conflicts or unconvincing redemptions. Yungul builds these relationships and creates a tapestry of trust and mistrust, old tapes and new experiences. It's captivating to watch it all unfold, Cohen's lensing enhancing Yungul's narrative landscape and Dennis Dreith's original music also serving as a companion to this compelling storytelling. 

So, too, it must be noted that Correa's understanding of interpersonal communication enhances the effectiveness of these scenes with a patience not often seen in Westerns yet most warranted here. 

I found this ensemble to be, almost ironically, a cohesive whole. Conrad-Davis builds Israel bit-by-bit, step-by-step. The same is true for Bullington's Moses. Both men are torn between the things they've always known and surviving by stepping into the great unknown. Baker's Great Seer is a connector of sorts, a soulful man whose story unfolds at just the right pace. 

The film's supporting players are similarly impressive, their roles here best left undisclosed so you can experience them for yourselves. The War Between had its world premiere at Phoenix Film Festival and is such a unique, inspired effort that it's hard to believe indie fests won't snap this one up. While genre traditionalists may long for a bit more shoot 'em up, Correa has crafted a compelling and vital motion picture. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic