The mysterious troglodytes of the Bone Tomahawk are secretly explained in this $160 million fantasy action film.

Bone Tomahawk's troglodytes are simultaneously the most enigmatic and horrifying thing about the film, but while their origins have not been revealed, another Western horror film set 16 years before may hold the key to their backstory. Bone Tomahawk is a masterful blend of genres that takes elements of traditional Western stories and mixes them with something completely dark. This approach is reflected in the troglodytes themselves, who represent both a terrifying, supernatural presence and humanity's violent primal instincts.




According to some interpretations, troglodytes constitute some Bone Tomahawkare the more problematic elements of Their role”wild other” dances around cinematic tropes that have historically been used to demonize marginalized communities, including Native Americans. However, as explained in a 1999 action film, the concept of a savage, cannibalistic tribe is not unique to S. Craig Zahler's 2015 film.. In fact, the troglodyte story has deep roots in folklore – which explains why Bone Tomahawk resonates so deeply with modern audiences.


13th Warrior Wendol Very Similar to the Troglodytes of the Bone Tomahawk

The Two Antagonists Share Many Characteristics

Antonio Banderas as Ahmed ibn Fadlan swings his sword in The 13th Warrior.


It was made in 1999 and boasts a budget of between 100-160 million dollars. 13th warrior is a fantastic historical action film with a radically different tone than simple and dark Bone Tomahawk. Starring Antonio Banderas as an unlikely Arab soldier among a band of marauding Vikings, the film follows a group of 13 warriors sent north to confront an ancient and mysterious evil. What they found – despite being on a completely different continent Bone Tomahawk and living centuries ago is the key to understanding the giant enemies of the 2015 Kurt Russell film.

13th warrior
Available to rent on Amazon and Apple TV+.


It turns out that 13th warrior's werewolves are another tribe of cannibalistic humans,”Wendol“. In this case, Wendol returned to the original stateclad in animal skins, they believe they exist somewhere on the border between man and bear. They are the so-called “whole”Wendol's mother“, warriors set out to kill and live in a perfect cave system – just like that Bone Tomahawk's troglodytes. On the surface, these similarities are superficially interesting. Closer inspection, however, reveals that the historical and literary inspiration of the Wendollars explains where they are at the same time. Bone Tomahawk's troglodytes come and represent what.

13th Warrior and Bone Tomahawk Tell the Same Story

Troglodytes and Wendol Share the Same Inspiration

13th fighter, antonio banderas, john mctiernan


It would be easy to come to such a conclusion at a glance Bone Tomahawk took the main elements 13th warriorthe story of – including cannibalistic enemies. Both films feature an unlikely band of warriors traveling together to save a wild land from a seemingly malevolent entity, and both feature antagonists who come across as more animal than human, inhabiting a sinister cave network filled with unimaginable horrors. But while these connections create connections between projects, the real story is more complex.

…both of them
13th warrior
and
Bone Tomahawk
[are] part of an older literary tradition…


Actually both 13th warrior and Bone Tomahawk can trace their roots back to the oldest story in the English language – an epic Anglo-Saxon poem, Beowulf. In this story, a community is besieged by a monstrous (yet uncommonly human) specter named Grendel, who devours their enemies and terrorizes the community. Grendel is not only phonetically similar to Wendol, but also exhibits many behaviors. It defines both 13th warrior and Bone Tomahawk as part of an older literary tradition and therefore makes its villains more than simple monsters.

13th warrior
Based on a novel written by Michael Crichton.

Just as Grendel embodies the dark, primal origins of humanity and in some ways returns to a time before civilization, so Wendol and the troglodytes seek to explore what lies beneath the surface.polite” society. The fact that both films create antagonists who appear monstrous before becoming surprisingly human makes them more disturbing than purely supernatural. As a result, Bone Tomahawks connection with established literary tropes means that troglodytes are more complex. they are more than the mindless killers they initially appear to be.


Good Bone Tomahawk's Troglodytes Has Never Been Properly Explained

It Only Increases Their Power

It might be tempting to present a detailed story behind how troglodytes became vicious cannibals. However, Bone Tomahawk's story is actually much more effective because there is no explanation. This not only invites the viewer to come to their own conclusions, but also allows their imaginations to fill in the historical gaps, and increases their symbolic power. The allegory that the troglodytes represent about humanity's potential for brutality is all the more powerful because it remains an ambiguous metaphor throughout.


The absurdity of the violence is also firmly in tune Bone Tomahawk with some of the most effective horror films ever made. movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Alien work because terrorism has no rhyme or reason – it just happens with no earthly way to stop it. Bone Tomahawk's climactic cave scenes are disturbing not only for their violence, but also for being so blasé. Avoiding the temptation to tell the audience all about the troglodytes ultimately makes them worse than Wendol, who becomes less terrifying as they are rationalized.

Comments

No comments yet. Why don’t you start the discussion?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *