One of the cool things about horror is how it can easily translate into any time period or culture. The latest The Pale Door looks to bring a western twist to the mix starring Devin Druid, Zachary Knighton, Noah Segan, Stan Shaw, Pat Healy, Bill Sage, Melora Walters and Natasha Bassett. Could this film bring something fresh and horrific to the genre or should it have burned at the stake? 

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The Pale Door follows the Dalton gang who find shelter in a seemingly uninhabited ghost town after a train robbery goes south. Seeking help for their wounded leader, they are surprised to stumble upon a welcoming brothel in the town’s square. But the beautiful women who greet them are actually a coven of witches with very sinister plans for the unsuspecting outlaws – and the battle between good and evil is just beginning.

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We don’t get enough good westerns these days and add the horror twist to the mix and I was eager to see what was in store, but sadly it was a mixed bag that overall just didn’t do enough to fully reign me in. At first it plays as a pretty straight forward western which is where it struggled most for me. It was slow paced and sometimes too clichéd trying to capture all the general western moments that it just came off a bit bad. I know it seems silly to say a western seemed off tying to be too western, but I am not sure how else to explain it. There was nothing new to offer here with that and in turn just felt flat.

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Where it picks up is in the second half when they shift the focus to the horror elements. During this time they offered up some great gore moments and cool stuff that took it into a way better direction, but sadly just not enough of it. The overall film is not balanced and struggles to find its footing as to what it wants to be which could have been really great.

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This is no doubt one that will find people that dig it so decide for yourself and check out The Pale Door available now on Blu-ray and DVD from RLJE Films.