The Unholy Trinity is deeply dividing critics and audiences, and here’s why. Directed by Richard Gray, with a script written by Lee Zachariah, the new Western film follows a young man, Henry (Brandon Lessard), who returns to an 1870s Montana town to reclaim his legacy and finds himself trapped between Sheriff Gabriel Dove (Pierce Brosnan) fighting to keep the peace and a shadowy outsider, St. Christopher (Samuel L. Jackson), intent on tearing it apart. The cast also includes Veronica Ferres, Gianni Capaldi, Q’orianka Kilcher, Tim Daly, Ethan Peck, Katrina Bowden, and David Arquette.

The Unholy Trinity premiered at the Zurich Film Festival this past October and debuted to a dismal 24% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with 21 reviews at the time of writing. The Western was released in theaters in the United States on June 13 and opened with a modest 66% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with over 250 verified ratings, standing in sharp contrast to the critics’ score. While both may shift as more reviews come in, The Unholy Trinity‘s critics’ and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes are deeply divided.

What Critics Dislike About The Unholy Trinity

It’s Predictable & Derivative

Many critics dislike The Unholy Trinity for its overwhelming predictability and derivative storytelling. For instance, in ScreenRant‘s Unholy Trinity review, Nick Bythrow calls it a “by-the-books Western,” highlighting that while the Samuel L. Jackson and Pierce Brosnan’s presence adds some appeal, the film itself brought “nothing too special.” Other critics like Michael Clark of Epoch Times echo this sentiment, pointing out that the narrative trajectory becomes “easy to peg” early on, with only one subplot bringing any genuine intrigue.

The film’s lack of originality is a common thread among the negative reviews. Joel Copling of Spectrum Culture criticized the film’s climactic shootout for feeling “like something of an obligation,” while The Hollywood Reporter‘s Jordan Mintzer lamented its rehashing of familiar tropes in “generic” fashion. Even though some critics found the production values slightly above average for a low-budget Western, many feel it squanders its star-studded cast. Ultimately, critics believe The Unholy Trinity fails to transcend familiar tropes.

Why The Unholy Trinity Is Doing Much Better With Audiences

It Delivers What Western Fans Want

The Unholy Trinity is resonating better with audiences largely because it delivers what Western fans want – action, sweeping landscapes, and charismatic leads. Many viewers compare its visuals to classic John Ford movies, praising the cinematography and old-school aesthetic. Even those who admit its predictability appreciate its thematic core, including the question of morality under pressure. For casual Western fans, the film seems to provide solid entertainment, the comfort of a familiar genre, and nostalgic throwbacks to classic Hollywood Westerns.

Additionally, the pairing of Samuel L. Jackson and Pierce Brosnan has been a major draw for audiences, elevating what would otherwise have been a mediocre script. Many viewers single out Jackson’s performance as the highlight – calling him manipulative, intense, and enjoyable to watch. Brosnan’s return to the Western genre has also been welcome. For those who want a fun Western with capable actors and satisfying shootouts, The Unholy Trinity seems to have hit the mark.

The Unholy Trinity’s RT Split Isn’t A Surprise – Westerns Can Be Divisive

The Genre Isn’t For Everyone

The classic Western is a genre that plays to a specific audience and, in turn, has long been divisive. In terms of movies, classic-style Westerns are rare these days. On television, it’s largely been Taylor Sheridan’s neo-Westerns Yellowstone and Landman, rather than anything that could be considered classic. The traditional Western, gritty and straightforward, simply isn’t for everyone, especially in a modern media landscape more accustomed to neo-Westerns.

While critics often expect innovation or subversion of genre conventions, audiences tend to embrace the familiar tropes that define classic Westerns. Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 is also an example of this – Rotten with critics (51%) and Fresh with audiences (70%). Also, American Primeval is a Netflix miniseries with a decent critics’ score (72%), but is much higher with audiences (87%). The disparity in The Unholy Trinity‘s Rotten Tomatoes scores seems to fit that trend perfectly.