“She Rides Shotgun” sits as a perfect example of every filmmaking ingredient coming together beautifully, balanced in a way that would make Thanos take pause, and as much a showcase for the talent onscreen as for those working to fuse this film’s take on the world that is the neo-western. There’s plenty here to keep eyeballs glued, and every scene gets better.
READ MORE: Summer 2025 TV Preview: 43 Shows To Watch
The film’s secret weapon, unquestionably, would be the momentum. This well-paced cadence eschews the slow burn of many contemporaries, opting for a series of scenes that take a Tarantino-esque approach in building towards an oft-explosive climax loaded with dialogue that couldn’t have been delivered any better. Based on a novel by Jordan Harper, Taron Egerton continues his reign as an undeniable talent, taking on the starring role of lifelong criminal Nate; Nate, it would seem, has seen better days, newly released from prison but now having to comb through the fallout of his ex-wife’s murder, of which he’s been fingered as the culprit. This particular incident, however, is far from the end of Nate’s troubles, as his killing of an Aryan Brotherhood member behind bars has caused a hit to have been put out on him, as well as his family, therefore it’s time for a stop at his daughter Polly’s (Ana Sophia Heger) school to scoop her up, with the two hitting the road in a manner not at all unlike, say, “Logan, ” or even “The Last of Us. “
Fortunately, any similarities soon find themselves left in the literal dust as the duo has to quickly contend with various baddies infiltrating their journey, all quickly dispatched by Nate, while an ever-concerned Polly looks on. Meanwhile, detective John Park (Rob Yang) has his eyes on Nate as a possible conduit for taking down the Brotherhood from within, and when their paths eventually do meet, an inevitable showdown tees itself up soon after. If it sounds formulaic, trust me; there’s plenty of meat within.
It’s scenes like another assailant, having tracked down Nate and Polly to a motel via an old connection of Nate’s, crescendoing to a violent bathroom confrontation, or a meeting between Park and his partner while Polly hides mere feet away. It’s lines like Nate telling Polly, after saving his life, how he never wants to see her pull a trigger again. It’s Heger, displaying a full range of emotions as she moves with ease between teary-eyed reluctance over having endured what amounts to a kidnapping, to sob-filled anger after seeing news reports covering the heinous act of which her father has been accused, to the eventual bond the two develop as the film approaches its third act. As he sits on another motel bed, telling Polly how he simply wants to know more about her after years of absence, Egerton remains excellent throughout, and John Carroll Lynch even receives a chance to flex his villainous muscles as the man who put the hit out on Nathan and his family.
Yet, until those final minutes, much of the film exists as a showcase of the dynamic between Egerton and Heger, punctuated by those moments when the action comes up for air before settling back down and allowing the screenplay, co-written by Harper, to do the heavy lifting. The desert never looked more sinister than it does within the frames of “She Rides Shotgun, ” though somehow less dusty than expected as it fades into the background in mere support of the story. In taking on a genre ripe with titles just as excellent, this one somehow manages to leave an impression. Two hours have never flown by quite as fast as they do here. [A-]