The Cream of the Genre: Top 10 Western Movies Available on Amazon Prime

This summer will see a number of high-profile premieres. The first two installments of Kevin Costner's western Horizon: An American Saga, set for release on June 28 and August 16, respectively, are among the most anticipated films to hit theaters in the coming months. But while you're waiting for the movies, check out these ten westerns that have defined the genre.

True Grit (2010, 7.6 on IMDb)

The Coen Brothers' adaptation of Charles Portis' novel of the same name follows Hailee Steinfeld's Mattie Ross, a fourteen-year-old whose father is killed by a hit man. When he flees to Indian Territory, where normal laws do not apply, the girl seeks revenge and enlists the help of the local Deputy US Marshal and a Texas Ranger, who is also looking for the killer. Together they embark on a journey in pursuit of the man while trying to avoid killing each other due to their many differences.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023, 7.6 on IMDb)

Martin Scorsese's western crime drama recounts the events of the 1920s massacre of the Osage tribe after oil was discovered on their land. The film follows Leonardo DiCaprio's Ernest Burkhart, a World War I veteran who moves to Oklahoma, where his uncle William lives. William proposes a plan for Ernest to marry Mollie, the daughter of the Osage family that holds the rights to the oil reserves, in order to gradually 'inherit' their rights. And many tragedies follow.

Blazing Saddles (1974, 7.7 on IMDb)

This western black comedy is set in 1874 in the fictional town of Rock Ridge on the American frontier. A new railroad is under construction, but plans suddenly change when quicksand is discovered along the route and the railroad must be rerouted through the godforsaken town. This will turn Rock Ridge into a profitable hub, so the local Territorial Attorney General devises a plan to gain control of the place by killing the local sheriff and appointing a black railroad worker to the position.

The Searchers (1956, 7.8 on IMDb)

Based on Alan Le May's novel of the same name, this classic western follows John Wayne, a Civil War veteran, as he searches for his kidnapped niece in the midst of the Texas-Indian wars. John Wayne seeks revenge on the Comanches who massacred his brother's entire family and have held his niece captive for years, but finds something completely different along the way.

Dances with Wolves (1990, 8.0 on IMDb)

Kevin Costner's adaptation of Michael Blake's novel of the same name tells the story of John J. Dunbar, a Union Army lieutenant who is transferred to a military outpost on the American frontier, where he is left alone after the death of the fort's commander. Unsure if anyone knows of his fate, Dunbar learns to live peacefully with the local Lakota tribe, from whom he was sent to protect the territory in the first place.

Unforgiven (1992, 8.2 on IMDb)

In this western drama, Clint Eastwood stars as William Munny, a reformed killer who gave up the dirty job years ago to become a farmer and raise a family. But when a young man visits William's farm and offers him a job to catch a group of cowboys who injured a prostitute in Wyoming and ran off without paying compensation, Munny decides to do the job one last time to help his failing business.

No Country for Old Men (2007, 8.2 on IMDb)

The Coen Brothers' western thriller centers on Josh Brolin's Llewelyn Moss, an ordinary Texan who stumbles upon a murder scene while hunting. He finds a suitcase stuffed with money and makes the mistake of taking it home with him. He soon realizes that the money is wanted by drug dealers who have hired a professional killer to take care of the situation.

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968, 8.5 on IMDb)

Sergio Leone's famous spaghetti western tells the story of Jill McBain, the widow who has inherited the land in the fictional Old West town of Flagstone that a railroad tycoon wants to build a railroad on. He sends his hit man Frank to get rid of the problem. But the local outlaw Cheyenne and a mysterious gunman with a harmonica stand up for the woman.

Django Unchained (2012, 8.5 on IMDb)

Quentin Tarantino's film revolves around Dr. King Schultz, a German dentist who has taken up bounty hunting in the US, and the eponymous runaway slave, freed by Schultz in exchange for his help in capturing the Brittle brothers, for whom Django has been working for some time. On their journey, the characters bond and become more than just temporary colleagues.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966, 8.8 on IMDb)

Set during the Civil War, this classic of the spaghetti western genre follows the three titular outlaws with very different styles and morals. United by the same goal – finding a missing cache of Confederate gold – Blondie the Good, Angel Eyes the Bad, and Tuco the Ugly must learn to work together, even when it's hard to trust anyone around.