Film Review: Jonah Hex (2010)

In the realm of big-screen adaptations of iconic comic books, DC Comics has consistently lagged behind its primary competitor, Marvel Comics, throughout the 21st century. Despite a few notable exceptions, many of DC's cinematic ventures have either underperformed at the box office or failed to meet audience expectations. Among these disappointments is Jonah Hex, a 2010 fantasy action western directed by Jimmy Hayward, which has earned a reputation as one of the most notorious flops in recent history.

The film is based on the comic book series created in the 1970s by writer John Albano and illustrator Tony DeZuniga. The protagonist, Jonah Hex, played by Josh Brolin, is a terribly disfigured bounty hunter. As a Confederate soldier during the Civil War, he crossed paths with his superior, the bloodthirsty Quentin Turnbull (played by John Malkovich), who took brutal revenge by having his family killed and Jonah branded on the face and left for dead. Rescued by the Crow people and gaining the ability to talk to the dead during a healing ritual, Jonah sought to kill Turnbull only to learn of his death. With nothing left to live for, he turned to bounty hunting. In 1876, it is revealed that Turnbull is actually alive and plans to destroy the United States during the centennial celebrations using an immensely destructive explosive he possesses. US President Grant (played by Aidan Quinn) enlists Hex's help to stop Turnbull, and during the mission, Hex must also protect prostitute Lilah Black (played by Megan Fox), who becomes his love interest.

Jonah Hex at the box office grossed only around a fifth of its production costs. This financial failure was compounded by scathing reviews from critics. While much of the film's issues can be attributed to chaotic editing and production problems, these do not absolve the creators from making questionable decisions that ultimately led to its downfall.

One glaring issue is the film's remarkably short runtime of just 81 minutes. This brevity likely resulted from cutting scenes of violence to secure a PG-13 rating, which in turn rushed the plot and left many characters underdeveloped and unconvincing. Despite being portrayed by capable actors such as Michael Fassbender, Wes Bentley, Michael Shannon, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Lance Reddick, and Aidan Quinn, their performances often felt wasted due to insufficient character development.

Moreover, to mitigate any remaining violence, many action sequences were filmed in low light and edited in a way that rendered them confusing and chaotic. The lack of experience from director Jimmy Hayward—who specialised in animation rather than live-action—became apparent throughout the film’s execution. While there were some intriguing concepts within the script—transforming Jonah from a mere bounty hunter into something resembling a superhero—these ideas remained largely unexplored.

Josh Brolin's performance as Jonah Hex stands out as arguably the film's greatest asset. He embodies his troubled character with commendable effort, particularly given the cumbersome prosthetics he wore throughout production. However, his strong performance inadvertently highlights the weaknesses of his co-stars; Megan Fox’s portrayal as Lilah Black received significant criticism for being lacklustre. Some reviewers even suggested that her physical beauty detracted from the film's otherwise dark and gritty tone.

Ultimately, Jonah Hex deservedly sank into relative obscurity following its release. The character itself would later find new life in other media; notably, he made recurring appearances in the television series Legends of Tomorrow, portrayed by Jonathon Schaech.

RATING: 3/10 (+)

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