'1923' Fans Can Stream Kiefer Sutherland’s Underrated Western With an 86% RT Score for Free (2025)

Actor, director, and producer Kiefer Sutherland has been attached to a variety of popular and well-received projects in the Hollywood industry. From his iconic role as Ace Merrill in the cult classic film Stand by Me to Tom Kirkman in the hit series Designated Survivor, it is clear that Sutherland, like his late father, possesses a profound talent. Although Kiefer's films encompass nearly every genre, many of them fall into the categories of action, adventure, and thriller. One such project, which Donald Sutherland also stars in, encompasses the action genre while adding Western elements that 1923 fans are sure to enjoy.

Forsaken is a 2015 Western action film that was directed by Jon Cassar. Alongside Kiefer and Donald, the film also features Demi Moore (The Substance) and Brian Cox (Succession). With a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 86% and multiple nominations for the Canadian Screen Awards, it is evident that the film has something enjoyable to offer to its viewers, who can now stream the movie for free.

The Tumultuous Narrative of 'Forsaken'

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Forsaken

R

Western

Release Date

September 16, 2015

Runtime

90 minutes

Director

Jon Cassar

Cast

See All

• 

  Demi Moore

  Mary-Alice Watson

• 

  Kiefer Sutherland

  John Henry Clayton

• 

  Donald Sutherland

  Rev. Clayton

• 

  Brian Cox

  James McCurdy

• 
• 

Where to watch

Close

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

• 
• 

Writers

Brad Mirman

Producers

Bill Marks, Wilson DaSilva, Trevor Wilson, Lisa Sohn, Dan Galang, Jessica Martins, Paul Tan, Kenny Cheung, Craig Yu, Barbara Voynovich, Harry Gabel, Ted Yew, Gerard Demaer, Allison Taylor, Douglas Falconer, Lisa Byrne, Kevin DeWalt, Isabella Marchese Ragona, Trish Cook, Patrick Roy, Mark Slone, Mark Montague, Richard Goldstein, Josh Miller

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The film follows John Henry Clayton (Kiefer Sutherland), an estranged drifter who has been engaged in shady exploits for 10 years following his time fighting in the Civil War. Searching for peace, John Henry returns home to his father, Reverend Samuel Clayton (Donald Sutherland). However, Samuel is not happy to see his son due to his shameful past and the anger that Samuel believes he is harboring inside of him.

After learning of John Henry's return, the local saloon owner, James McCurdy (Brian Cox), tells his men to be on high alert for any trouble he might cause. James believes that John Henry will stop him and his gang from trying to forcefully coerce local farmers to sell their land. While in town, old passions are also rekindled after John Henry runs into his past lover, Mary Alice (Demi Moore). However, she has a son and a husband, who soon becomes one of the farmers that McCurdy targets.

Donald and Kiefer Sutherland Play Father and Son in 'Forsaken'

Much of John Henry's internal conflict arises from his tense relationship with his father. Due to his experience as a soldier in the Civil War, John Henry is traumatized by the awful things that he had to do and witness. As a result, the character begins to doubt the religious beliefs that were instilled in him by his father growing up. This is particularly troublesome because Samuel is a devoutly religious man. He believes that he must convince his son to return to religion in order to save him from eternal suffering.

Reluctantly, John Henry returns to the church to ease his father's mind. However, the conflict with McCurdy follows him through those doors as well, momentarily distracting him from any attempt to find peace and connection with Samuel. Eventually, John Henry tells Samuel about some of the things that he did during his time in and after the war. Samuel, understanding that his son is clearly haunted by his past, begins to turn towards forgiveness.

Critics and Audiences Are Split With 'Forsaken'

Despite the high Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 86%, the film only managed a 40% among critics. Their main reasoning was that the film relied too heavily on common tropes within the Western genre. Due to this, their opinion was that the film was forgettable when compared to other Westerns. Despite the technical elements of the fight sequences and gun standoffs, which critics noted as worthy of watching, the revenge arc against McCurdy was not original enough to warrant any additional praise.

However, general audiences felt differently. Although they noted that the film came off as a traditional Western, adding little nuance to the genre, they also felt that Kiefer and Donald Sutherland's performances infused deep emotion within the narrative. Many viewers noted that the film moved a bit slowly, but they were not dissuaded by that element. Instead, they thought it allowed viewers to spend more time appreciating the cinematic elements, such as camerawork, and getting to know the characters. Overall, Forsaken is worth a watch, especially for viewers who aren't expecting anything more than a tried-and-true traditional Western. Forsaken is available to stream for free on Pluto and Tubi.