Prime Video has just added one of the best Western movies of the 21st century

It's absolutely not for the faint of heart, however.

Written and directed by Dutch filmmaker Martin Koolhoven (Winter in Wartime), the film is set in the Old West and is told in four chapters presented in non-linear order.

It centres around Liz (Fanning), a mute woman and midwife who begins the movie living with her husband and their family in a small community.

One day, an enigmatic and brooding preacher - referred to only as The Reverend (Pearce) - rides into town, with his arrival shaking Liz to her core.

While no one takes Liz’s concerns seriously, she is convinced the man's presence will bring harm to her family.

Over the four chapters, titled Revelation, Exodus, Genesis and Retribution, the audience comes to learn of Liz and The Reverend’s dark history.

Anchored by two brilliant performances by a wonderfully expressive Fanning and an absolutely terrifying Pearce, Brimstone also has a great supporting cast, including Carice Van Houten (Temple), Carla Juri (Blade Runner 2049), Emilia Jones (CODA), Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) and Paul Anderson (Peaky Blinders).

On top of this, it's packed full of twists and turns that should keep viewers engrossed across its whopping 148-minute running time, even as the movie's plot grows increasingly bleak, shocking and violent.

Indeed, the film's extreme nature seemed to split critics right down the middle. That said, we'd argue there is a point to it, with Koolhoven rebelling against earlier cinematic portraits of the Old West as idyllic, while also depicting how religious beliefs can be twisted and warped to justify cruelty.

Brimstone appears to have been better received by audiences, holding a high 7.0 IMDB score. If you are squeamish, though, the Western thriller may not be for you.

How to watch Brimstone

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Brimstone is streaming in Ireland, the UK and the US on Prime Video.