WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Harder They Fall, now streaming on Netflix and available in select theaters.
In Netflix’s The Harder They Fall, Idris Elba’s Rufus Buck cuts a very sinister, intimidating figure as one of America’s most savage outlaws. He’s killed many a people in the Wild West, with the government eventually pardoning him to murder some of its traitors. After that, Rufus returns to his Redwood stronghold to turn the town into a cash cow. However, his stupidest mistake ends up breaking his empire forever.
When Rufus and his gang get in, the men he left behind turn on Sheriff Wiley, making it clear they’ve never stopped believing in Rufus. The shady Wiley was one of Rufus’ own back in the day, but Rufus beats him down and exiles him. It’s weird as Rufus, given his M.O., should be killing him, which his beloved Trudy points out, yet Rufus says he’s got a code of honor, so Wiley will be offered salvation for the loyalty he offered back in the day.
Wiley’s been exploiting the town and could have damaged the investment Rufus made before he went to jail, so all red flags are there. However, the film has Rufus out of character because — while he knows Wiley drained the cash he left behind before he was imprisoned — it seems sentimentality and nostalgia matter more.
While the despicable Rufus rebuilds, this act of mercy and forgiveness turns out to be a rookie mistake. It starts biting him in the butt when Wiley makes his way to Nat Love’s gang, providing intel on the setup of Redwood. He knows Nat wants to go in and kill Rufus for murdering Nat’s family decades ago, with a bitter Wiley firm in his belief this is his way of helping fix the world and getting karma points.
It’s obvious, though, he’s spiteful, which pops up again when Trudy is kidnapped by Rufus’ crew. They’re short of weapons and men to raid Redwood, but Wiley once more arrives, like magic, with guns and dynamite. He admits Rufus buried arsenals all over the dusty terrain, so he’s dug up some as gifts to go wreak havoc on the town that sacked him. This time, Nat’s more inviting, welcoming Wiley into the team as part of an uneasy alliance.
They attack Redwood, using dynamite to raze and weaken Rufus’ base, and even though he’s silent about it, Rufus regrets letting Wiley live. He does get revenge later on, shooting Wiley’s dynamite and blowing the traitor up, but what makes his timing too little, too late is just before this occurs, Rufus confesses he knew all along Wiley was the one who sold him out and got him carted off to jail.
Thus, with so many betrayals known and Wiley clearly distrustful, had Rufus not been amateur and killed him when he returned, his gang probably would have been strong enough to stave off Nat’s crew, who lacked manpower and resources. Instead, with Wiley giving them the keys to the kingdom, they annihilate Rufus and his thugs, saving Redwood and granting Nat vengeance in full.
See how Rufus’ act of mercy dooms his empire in The Harder They Fall, now streaming on Netflix and available in select theaters.
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