Kevin Costner: America’s Modern Cowboy

Since Dances With Wolves, Wyatt Earp, and Silverado, Kevin Costner has been the modern face of the Western genre. Following Clint Eastwood’s retirement from Westerns after Unforgiven in 1992, Costner has dominated both film and television with his cowboy persona. From the miniseries Hatfields & McCoys to leading Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone, he’s become a symbol of the American frontier.

Just a year after joining Yellowstone, Costner starred alongside Woody Harrelson in Netflix’s The Highwaymen, a neo-Western crime film set in the 1930s. Despite being critically praised, the movie remains underrated, yet it stands out as one of Netflix’s strongest Western offerings of the decade.

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Grounding the Bonnie and Clyde Legend

The Highwaymen opens with the daring escape of Clyde Barrow from a prison labor camp. Bonnie accompanies him as the pair gun down their captors and flee, sparking a crime spree across the Deep South. To stop them, Texas Governor “Ma” Ferguson recruits former Texas Ranger Frank Hamer (Costner), who enlists his old partner, Maney Gault (Harrelson).

The film emphasizes the myth versus reality of Bonnie and Clyde’s legend. While the public often romanticized the duo as Robin Hood-style outlaws, Hamer and Gault’s investigation shows the harsh truth: the pair primarily targeted ordinary citizens and law enforcement, not wealthy elites. The narrative reframes Bonnie and Clyde not as folk heroes but as cold-blooded killers.

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A Neo-Western Thriller

Much like Sheridan’s 1923, The Highwaymen blends Western aesthetics with crime thriller elements. Hamer and Gault are Old West-style lawmen navigating a modernizing world, relying on cunning, grit, and old-fashioned detective skills. From high-speed chases to calculated ambushes, every scene reflects classic Western tropes transplanted into the 1930s.

The movie’s strength lies in its attention to realism. While some supporting law enforcement figures are downplayed, Hamer and Gault’s central role in capturing the gang remains true to history. The story maintains the moral ambiguity of frontier justice, showing that the pursuit of law and order often involved questionable methods.

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Deconstructing the Bonnie and Clyde Myth

The Highwaymen takes care to humanize the victims and dispel myths surrounding Bonnie and Clyde. Most of the duo’s twelve murders targeted law enforcement, highlighting the deadly consequences of their crime spree. The film’s focus on these realities prevents romanticization, emphasizing the danger and ruthlessness of the pair.

This approach appeals to viewers who appreciate grounded storytelling, giving audiences a clear view of the historical and moral stakes involved. It’s a nuanced, character-driven perspective that separates it from more stylized crime dramas.

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A Must-Watch for Yellowstone Fans

For fans of Costner’s Western work, The Highwaymen is a perfect companion to Yellowstone. The film merges historical drama, true crime, and Western iconography into a gripping narrative. From road-trip-style manhunts to tense standoffs, it offers a cinematic experience that feels both familiar and fresh for Western enthusiasts.

John Lee Hancock’s direction ensures the story is tightly paced while giving Costner the chance to embody another classic lawman. Whether it’s the Great Depression-era setting, the morally complex heroes, or the Old West-style justice, The Highwaymen is a standout in the modern Western canon and deserves recognition as one of Netflix’s best crime-Western hybrids.