Warning: Major spoilers for American Primeval below!
A prominent subplot in American Primeval serves as an unofficial retelling of the iconic John Wayne Western film, The Searchers. Set against a brutally realistic backdrop, Netflix’s American Primeval paints the Old West as a violent and bleak period, starkly contrasting with the sanitized representation of the genre during Wayne’s heyday from the 1930s to the mid-1970s. The traditional Westerns, often featuring clear distinctions between heroes and villains, lack the explicit violence and gritty realism that has come to characterize modern portrayals like American Primeval.
Abish and Pratt’s Journey Reflects Echoes of The Searchers
A Darker Tone than Traditional Westerns
In the inaugural episode, viewers meet Jacob (Dane DeHaan) and Abish Pratt (Saura Lightfoot-Leon), a Mormon couple traversing the frontier with their group. After a brutal attack leaves their companions slaughtered, Jacob survives a gruesome scalping, while Abish is abducted by the Shoshone. Upon recovering, Jacob insists on leading a search party to rescue his wife, but his quest spirals into an obsession marked by increasing violence and emotional turmoil.
In a twist reminiscent of The Searchers, Abish, who had always felt marginalized within her own community, begins to embrace her captors’ way of life. This narrative arc offers a reflection on identity and belonging, transforming the Pratt story into a darker iteration of Wayne’s classic without the clear-cut good versus evil dichotomy; instead, it delves into a realm of chaos, violence, and inevitable tragedy.
While The Searchers navigates Ethan Edwards’s mental unraveling, Jacob’s journey presents a more immediate descent into madness. His perception of reality deteriorates as he searches for Abish, particularly upon discovering unsettling truths about the Mormon militia’s involvement in the massacre that scattered his life into chaos. American Primeval effectively uses the framework of The Searchers to explore complex themes relevant to the era.
A Grimmer Experience than The Searchers
Challenging Narratives in Both Films
Image via Netflix
Though The Searchers reserves much of its violence offscreen, the film presents significant emotional hardships. After Ethan’s family faces a tragic massacre, scenes of his revenge symbolize his torment; however, the depth of brutality in American Primeval surpasses that of Wayne’s classic. As the series progresses, viewers witness major character deaths, brutal assaults, and profound betrayals, creating a sense of dread that showcases the writing and performances, steering clear of overwhelming viewers to the point of disengagement.
Jacob and Abish’s narrative culminates in heartbreak during a bloody confrontation initiated by the Mormon militia against the Shoshone tribe. In a harrowing twist, Jacob fatally shoots a female warrior, only to discover she is Abish, painted for battle. Their brief reunion—marked by a final kiss—is overshadowed by immediate tragedy as Jacob, engulfed in grief, takes his own life. As DeHaan reveals in an interview with Decider, Jacob’s “happiness”comes from finally finding Abish, even as their quest yields sorrowful consequences.
The Real-Life Inspiration Behind Abish’s Story
A Profound Transformation
The Searchers draws inspiration from the real-life abduction of Cynthia Ann Parker, who, at the age of nine, was taken by the Comanche. Cynthia spent 24 transformative years living with her captors, marrying a war chief and raising a family, only to be forcibly rescued by Texas Rangers, against her wishes. She longed to return to her tribe, illustrating the difficulties of reintegration into a society that felt foreign.
In contrast to Debbie’s unexplored bond with the Comanche within John Ford’s portrayal, American Primeval deeply examines Abish’s enchanting relationship with the Shoshone culture. Despite the brutality she encounters, Abish finds warmth and a sense of community that leads her to choose the tribe over returning to Jacob in the finale, marking a poignant evolution of her character.
This transformation reaches such extremes that Jacob does not recognize her until that tragic moment of recognition after he has shot her. In discussions with Decider, DeHaan suggests that the tragic conclusion of Jacob and Abish’s story feels preordained, as if the universe conspired for their reunion before their dramatic end.
The Enduring Legacy of The Searchers
A Cultural Touchstone
Throughout cinematic history, The Searchers has influenced numerous filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg, who revisits it before undertaking new projects. Its narrative elements have resurfaced across various genres—most notably, the rescue mission for Princess Leia in Star Wars, which echoes the themes of The Searchers. Moreover, films like Bone Tomahawk offer a horror-infused reinterpretation of its story.
Even cultural references abound, as reflected in characters like Travis Bickle (played by Robert De Niro) in Taxi Driver, engaging in a similarly driven rescue mission. The Searchers remains a critically acclaimed Western, regarded among the finest in its genre, and its resonance continues to inspire contemporary narratives—such as American Primeval. Although plans for a sci-fi remake featuring Bruce Willis were rumored, they ultimately never materialized.
Source: Decider
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