Jonah Hex
Gunslinger Jonah Hex is appointed by President Ulysses Grant to track down terrorist Quentin Turnbull, a former Confederate officer determined on unleashing hell on earth. Jonah not only secures freedom by accepting this task, he also gets revenge on the man who slew his wife and child.
The film financial setback against its respectable budget of $47.0M, earning $10.5M globally (-78% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its compelling narrative within the action genre.
1 win & 4 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Jonah Hex (2010) demonstrates meticulously timed story structure, characteristic of Jimmy Hayward's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 22 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Jonah Hex
Quentin Turnbull
Lilah
Burke
Main Cast & Characters
Jonah Hex
Played by Josh Brolin
A scarred Civil War veteran and bounty hunter with supernatural abilities who can communicate with the dead
Quentin Turnbull
Played by John Malkovich
A former Confederate officer and terrorist seeking revenge against the Union, Jonah's former commander and nemesis
Lilah
Played by Megan Fox
A tough and resourceful prostitute with a long-standing relationship with Jonah Hex
Burke
Played by Michael Fassbender
Turnbull's sadistic right-hand man and enforcer with a distinctive scarred face
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Animated sequence introduces Jonah Hex as a scarred bounty hunter, establishing his brutal reputation and the disfigured face that marks him as an outcast - a man who lives between life and death.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 10 minutes when Lieutenant Grass arrives with news that Quentin Turnbull, the man Hex believed dead, is alive and planning a massive terrorist attack on the United States. The government needs Hex to stop him - the past he thought buried has returned.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 19 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Hex accepts the government's mission to stop Turnbull, choosing to confront his nemesis rather than continue living in the shadows. He actively commits to hunting down the man who destroyed his life - vengeance becomes his purpose., moving from reaction to action.
At 40 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Hex learns the full scope of Turnbull's plan: a devastating weapon capable of destroying entire cities, to be used on Washington D.C. During the centennial celebration. This is a false defeat - the stakes are now catastrophic and the timeline impossibly short., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 59 minutes (72% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Hex is severely wounded and left for dead after a confrontation with Turnbull's forces. Lilah is captive on Turnbull's ironclad ship. The weapon is en route to Washington. Hex experiences a vision of death, returning to the spiritual realm where he nearly succumbs., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 65 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Hex is resurrected with renewed purpose. He realizes the fight isn't just about personal vengeance - it's about protecting the innocent and preventing mass destruction. He synthesizes his supernatural gifts with his gunfighting skills for the final assault., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Jonah Hex's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Jonah Hex against these established plot points, we can identify how Jimmy Hayward utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Jonah Hex within the action genre.
Jimmy Hayward's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Jimmy Hayward films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.7, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Jonah Hex exemplifies the director's characteristic narrative technique. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Jimmy Hayward filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Bad Guys, Puss in Boots and Venom: The Last Dance. For more Jimmy Hayward analyses, see Free Birds.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Animated sequence introduces Jonah Hex as a scarred bounty hunter, establishing his brutal reputation and the disfigured face that marks him as an outcast - a man who lives between life and death.
Theme
During the animated backstory, the narrator states that Jonah Hex was "bound by honor" but "betrayed by war" - establishing the central theme that a man's past does not have to define his future, and redemption is possible through righteous action.
Worldbuilding
The post-Civil War American frontier is established as a lawless place where Hex operates as a bounty hunter. His supernatural ability to communicate with the dead is revealed, along with his tortured history with Turnbull who killed his family and branded his face.
Disruption
Lieutenant Grass arrives with news that Quentin Turnbull, the man Hex believed dead, is alive and planning a massive terrorist attack on the United States. The government needs Hex to stop him - the past he thought buried has returned.
Resistance
Hex initially refuses the government's request, preferring his solitary existence. He visits Lilah, the prostitute he has a relationship with. President Grant's men press him with a pardon offer. Hex debates whether to engage with his past or continue running from it.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Hex accepts the government's mission to stop Turnbull, choosing to confront his nemesis rather than continue living in the shadows. He actively commits to hunting down the man who destroyed his life - vengeance becomes his purpose.
Mirror World
Lilah is established as more than a love interest - she represents the human connection Hex denies himself. Their relationship embodies the theme: she sees the man beneath the scars and offers him the possibility of a life beyond violence and revenge.
Premise
Hex hunts for Turnbull using his supernatural abilities, interrogating the dead for information. He discovers Turnbull's plan to use a nation-killer weapon on the 4th of July. Action sequences showcase Hex's unique gunfighting skills and his horse-mounted gatling guns.
Midpoint
Hex learns the full scope of Turnbull's plan: a devastating weapon capable of destroying entire cities, to be used on Washington D.C. during the centennial celebration. This is a false defeat - the stakes are now catastrophic and the timeline impossibly short.
Opposition
Turnbull's men capture Lilah to use as leverage against Hex. Hex's attempts to locate Turnbull are thwarted. Burke, Turnbull's psychotic enforcer, becomes a persistent threat. The government grows impatient as the July 4th deadline approaches.
Collapse
Hex is severely wounded and left for dead after a confrontation with Turnbull's forces. Lilah is captive on Turnbull's ironclad ship. The weapon is en route to Washington. Hex experiences a vision of death, returning to the spiritual realm where he nearly succumbs.
Crisis
In the spirit world between life and death, Hex confronts his guilt over his family's murder. The Native Americans who saved him before appear again. He must choose whether to surrender to death or return to finish the fight - not for revenge, but for something greater.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Hex is resurrected with renewed purpose. He realizes the fight isn't just about personal vengeance - it's about protecting the innocent and preventing mass destruction. He synthesizes his supernatural gifts with his gunfighting skills for the final assault.
Synthesis
Hex boards Turnbull's ironclad ship. He frees Lilah and battles through Turnbull's men. In a supernatural confrontation, Hex fights Turnbull in both the physical and spirit realms simultaneously. He destroys the weapon and kills Turnbull, ending the threat to the nation.
Transformation
Hex declines further government work and rides off with Lilah. Unlike the opening image of a solitary, vengeful figure, he now has a companion and a future. His scars remain, but he's no longer defined solely by his past - redemption through connection is possible.