The Unholy Trinity (2024) is a film that, at first glance, seems tailor-made for fans longing for a return to the gritty, dust-caked charm of old-school westerns. With its barren landscapes, tense shootouts, and a score that leans into the genre’s golden era, it has all the makings of something special. Westerns, outside of the occasional comedy or revisionist indie project, have been a rarity in modern cinema, so the idea of revisiting that world comes with built-in intrigue.
Unfortunately, The Unholy Trinity never rises above its surface-level appeal. Instead, it leans too heavily on the very clichés and tropes that pushed westerns out of the mainstream in the first place, leaving us with a film that looks the part but never fully earns its place at the table.
The film’s greatest strength is undoubtedly its cast. The presence of Pierce Brosnan immediately adds gravitas. Brosnan, though known to most for his suave turn as James Bond, feels surprisingly at home in the western landscape. His weathered face and calm delivery suit the role perfectly and he provides a grounded energy that the film desperately needs. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction) goes full-throttle, chewing scenery in a way only he can. He is entertaining, no doubt, but his performance feels more like a spectacle than a natural fit within the narrative. It’s as though Jackson is in a different, more heightened version of the movie — a version that might have been more fun to watch if the rest of the film had followed suit.
Then there’s Brandon Lessard (Robert the Bruce) as Henry Broadway, the ostensible protagonist. Sadly, this is where the movie stumbles hardest. Henry’s arc feels like an afterthought, as though the filmmakers never quite knew what to do with him. His character is underwritten to the point of irrelevance, making it difficult for the audience to connect with him or invest in his journey. Lessard does what he can with the material, but the script gives him so little to work with that his presence barely registers. In a film where Brosnan and Jackson are both swinging big, having a central character who feels so slight undermines the entire story. Visually, The Unholy Trinity fares much better.
The cinematography captures sweeping vistas and dusty towns with a painterly eye, paying homage to the genre’s visual traditions. The film looks beautiful, and on a purely aesthetic level, it scratches that western itch. The set design also feels authentic, and it’s clear that a lot of thought went into recreating the period details. Unfortunately, visuals alone cannot carry a movie, and the lack of substance in the story quickly overshadows the beauty of the imagery. What makes its theatrical release particularly puzzling is its timing.
L-R: Pierce Brosnan as Gabriel Dove and Brandon Lessard as Henry Broadway in THE UNHOLY TRINITY. Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
Dropped into the crowded summer movie season, The Unholy Trinity feels out of place. It has the energy of a movie destined for an early-year release, the kind of film that fills the calendar before the blockbusters arrive and then disappears without a trace. Releasing it in the summer, against more compelling offerings, only highlights its shortcomings and makes its flaws more glaring. The home release doesn’t do it any favors either. Fans who might have been curious to dig deeper into the making of the film will be disappointed to discover that the disc contains no special features whatsoever.
L-R: Samuel L. Jackson as St. Christopher and Pierce Brosnan as Gabriel Dove in THE UNHOLY TRINITY. Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions.
This feels like a huge missed opportunity, especially since the strongest element of the movie, its cinematography, could have been illuminated through behind-the-scenes insights, interviews, or a director’s commentary. In an age where physical media thrives on bonus content, offering nothing feels almost lazy. In the end, The Unholy Trinity is a frustrating experience. It has flashes of what could have been a worthwhile addition to the western canon, but it collapses under the weight of formulaic writing and a weak lead. Brosnan does his best to hold the film together, and Jackson adds moments of explosive fun, but the pieces never fit into a satisfying whole. If you’re a die-hard fan of the genre or a Pierce Brosnan completist, you might find something to appreciate. Otherwise, this is a western that can be safely skipped.
No bonus features are available with this release.
Available on VOD and digital July 1st, 2025.
Available on Blu-ray and DVD August 26th, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Warner Bros. Pictures The Unholy Trinity webpage.
Final Score: 1 out of 5.
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Categories: Home Video, Reviews, streaming
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