Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (18)

Screen great and country music icon Kris Kristofferson illuminate’s Sam Peckinpah’s western classic.

A pioneering figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, Kristofferson left an indelible mark on music and film, with heartfelt songwriting and iconic performances that captured the spirit of a generation. Cast here as infamous outlaw Billy the Kid, he’s up against Pat Garrett (James Coburn), who takes on the role of Sheriff and is tasked with bringing him in. It’s a task made all the more muddied by the pairs shared past. Once good friends, their now paired on opposite sides of the law and forced into a deadly rivalry that will push them both to their limits.

The film remains a western stalwart, featuring a brilliant and a memorable Bob Dylan score, blending counter-culture themes with traditional western motifs. Kristofferson’s portrayal as Billy the Kid is filled with the charisma and confidence of a prime Steve McQueen. But then it has that something else. He’s youthful and playful while simultaneously being cunning, callous and deadly. It’s the type of antihero that audiences technically shouldn’t root for, but can’t help but be drawn to.

Peckinpah's best western is still probably The Wild Bunch, but this is arguably his most personal and personable