Directed by Richard Gray, The Unholy Trinity tries to saddle up as a gritty Western drama with a moral twist. It follows a mysterious drifter named Henry, who strolls into a small town with a past full of secrets and a heart full of… revenge. Gold is the name of the game, and everyone – from the town’s lawmen to its churchgoers – is playing. What unfolds is a tangle of motives, mistrust, and missed opportunities wrapped up in 90 minutes of dusty tension.
Samuel L. Jackson is the reason this film has any horsepower. As St. Chris, he’s basically what would happen if Nick Fury stopped saving the world and started gaslighting it instead. He struts through the town like a chaotic messiah, giving you gravitas, menace, and that signature Jackson charisma that makes you forget the script’s a little wobbly.
Pierce Brosnan brings his steely charm to the role, though you can tell he’s done more with less – and sadly, he’s given even less here. Brandon Lessard holds his own too, offering a solid performance that doesn’t quite shine but certainly doesn’t flop either.
Big names? Yep. Big performances? Kind of. Big results? Well…
Richard Gray’s direction has moments of intrigue – especially in a few close-quarters tension scenes (one between St. Chris and the sheriff’s wife had me sitting up straight). Cinematography-wise, it leans heavily into that dusty, sepia-toned Western vibe, with lots of wide shots of the barren town and intense close-ups during standoffs.
The score is serviceable, though not particularly memorable. It tries to swell with emotion and suspense, but often ends up sounding like it’s trying too hard to make up for what the script doesn’t deliver. No frills, no thrills – just good enough to keep things moving.
Let’s be honest: the film has so much potential. The idea of a morally complex town where everyone is just a little shady? That’s juicy. The setup teases you with the promise of big reveals, dramatic betrayals, and some good ol’ Western chaos.
Instead, what we get is a script that feels like it was written by ChatGPT with a character limit. It’s predictable, a bit cringey in parts, and you’ll find yourself whispering “Please be better” after each scene that nearly builds tension… but never quite gets there.
Still, there is entertainment to be found. The fact that there’s no clear villain makes for interesting moral ambiguity – everyone has their own agenda, their own justification, and no one’s entirely clean. That’s a nice change. But sadly, the movie doesn’t dig into that richness nearly enough.
Thankfully, it’s only 90 minutes long, so if you’re watching it from your couch with snacks in hand and expectations set to “meh,” you’ll probably have a decent time. It’s almost worth it for Sam Jackson alone.
The Unholy Trinity is a gold rush of missed opportunities. A stacked cast and a promising concept are let down by a shaky script and predictable plotting. Worth a one-time stream – just don’t expect to be spiritually moved by this holy mess.
