Is Bone Tomahawk (2015) scary?

Not particularly — Bone Tomahawk (2015) trades on gore and extremity rather than fright. As a body horror film, it scored 2.0/10 for fear, 7.5/10 for atmosphere, and 8.1/10 overall on Watch Darkly's curator scale across 1 rating.

How many jump scares are in Bone Tomahawk (2015)?

Bone Tomahawk (2015) has no jump scares. Its jump-scare count is zero, which makes it a fit for viewers who want horror without sudden jolts.

What age is Bone Tomahawk (2015) appropriate for?

Bone Tomahawk (2015) has no MPAA age rating, and Watch Darkly does not assign one either, so here is what the film actually contains. On Watch Darkly's curator scale it scored 2.0/10 for fear, 7.0/10 for gore, and 8.0/10 for intensity, where 10 is the most extreme in the catalog. It has no jump scares. Content warnings on file: animal death, eye trauma, and torture.

What are some films like Bone Tomahawk (2015)?

Films similar to Bone Tomahawk (2015) on Watch Darkly include Antlers (2021), Alone (2020), Nope (2022), selected by shared themes and tags plus the curator scoring across fear, gore, atmosphere, intensity, and overall quality.

Metadata and artwork from TMDB. Not endorsed or certified by TMDB.

body-horror

Bone Tomahawk

2015 · NR · 2h 13m

Death comes for all men.

During a shootout in a saloon, Sheriff Hunt injures a suspicious stranger. The doctor's assistant, wife of the local foreman, tends to him in prison. That night, the town is attacked and they both disappear—only the arrow of a cannibal tribe is found. Hunt and a few of his men go in search of the prisoner and the foreman's wife.

Plot summary via TMDB

Release

In theaters: October 23, 2015

Curator Score

8.1

Overall

Based on 1 curator rating · How we score

Driven by atmosphere and intensity.

Jump scares

Bone Tomahawk has no jump scares. Compare counts

Age suitability

Bone Tomahawk has no MPAA age rating, and Watch Darkly does not assign one either. It scored 2.0/10 for fear and 7.0/10 for gore, and carries 3 content warnings: animal death, eye trauma, and torture.

Add your rating

8.1Overall

Fear2.0

Gore7.0

Atmosphere7.5

Intensity8.0

Genres

horrorwestern

Details

Budget$1.8M

Box office$475,846

Directed by

S. Craig Zahler

Written by

S. Craig Zahler

Cinematography

Benji Bakshi

Music

Jeff Herriott, S. Craig Zahler

Starring

Kurt Russell as Sheriff Franklin Hunt · Patrick Wilson as Arthur O'Dwyer · Richard Jenkins as Chicory · Matthew Fox as John Brooder · Lili Simmons as Samantha O'Dwyer · David Arquette as Purvis · Fred Melamed as Clarence · Evan Jonigkeit as Nick

Production

Caliber Media Company, Platinum Platypus, Realmbuilders Productions, RLJ Entertainment, The Fyzz, The Jokers Films, Twilight Riders

Reviews

blessedmakerCurator

Jun 1, 2026

Overall8.1Fear2Atmos.7.5Gore7

"Say goodbye to my wife, and I'll say hello to yours". This film took time crafting their characters which really makes the story resonate. You don't need to be a fan of westerns to enjoy this movie - it just so happens that this takes place in that period. This movie is slow burn through and through. There are small little moments that are thoughtful and add life to the story and the characters journey. There is attention to detail in the scenes if you pay attention. Within the first few minutes you'll start laughing; the film is surprisingly funny with witty zingers and one liners that punctuate moments of seriousness cleverly. What makes it horror? Well, the antagonists of the movie are blood thirsty cannibals, and there are violent moments. Nothing over the top, but there are dismemberments, blood, some body-horror, and moments of torture that are gruesome. For those who like slow burn, character driven stories with their horror, do yourself a favor and watch this immediately.

Read all reviews