'Masterpiece' Western on Netflix hailed as 'one of best movies ever'

A modern Western thriller long considered a cinematic milestone is now streaming on Netflix - and viewers continue to rank it among the finest films ever made.

No Country for Old Men, the Coen Brothers' Oscar-winning adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel, is once again drawing praise for its unflinching portrayal of violence, morality, and fate in an increasingly chaotic world.

Released in 2007, the film marked a major moment in the Coens' already acclaimed career. It stars Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss, a welder and Vietnam veteran who discovers a bloody drug deal gone wrong in the West Texas desert and walks away with a suitcase containing $2 million in cash.

That choice sets off a deadly chain of events, as Moss becomes the target of Anton Chigurh, a mysterious, soft-spoken hitman played with terrifying calm by Javier Bardem.

Bardem's performance was instantly praised - and earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Viewers on Rotten Tomatoes are still in awe: "Guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat not only because of the directors and their quirky but very welcomed artistic decisions... but also because it includes one of the greatest performances of this century to date: Javier Bardem as the ruthless and nightmare-inducing hitman Anton Chigurh."

The character, with his distinctive bowl cut, deadpan stare, and chilling coin-flip scenes, has become one of the most recognisable and unsettling villains in modern cinema.

While much of the story focuses on Moss and Chigurh's deadly game of cat and mouse, the emotional core belongs to Tommy Lee Jones, who plays Sheriff Ed Tom Bell - a weary lawman struggling to understand the increasingly senseless violence of the world around him.

Jones, Bardem and Brolin, each, embody a different side of the film's core themes: justice, chaos, and survival.

Viewers continue to lavish praise on the film's structure, atmosphere, and technical brilliance. "The Coen Brothers really got this one right," one reviewer wrote. "Whole cast really shines convincingly, and then some, in their characters. Absolute winner. Great story, excellent directing and really good cinematography, which must have been really challenging. Lots of tense moments, action galore and enough twists. Suspense all round and just about non-stop."

Roger Deakins' cinematography captures the stark beauty of the desert landscape with a haunting realism, and notably, the Coens opted to use almost no music throughout the film - a decision that adds to the tension and realism. As one fan put it: "This is a special kind of film... one that never holds the viewer's hand and challenges you to use your intellect."

The final 20 minutes remain some of the most discussed in film history - a bold, quiet ending that defies typical action-movie resolution. "The perfect film. Every scene. Every line of dialogue. And the ending. Yes... I said it... the ending. All perfect," said one Rotten Tomatoes reviewer.

No Country for Old Men swept the 2008 Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Best Director (shared by Joel and Ethan Coen), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor. It was also nominated for Best Actor (Tommy Lee Jones), Best Cinematography (Roger Deakins), and Best Film Editing.

No Country for Old Men is now streaming on Netflix.