'Fantastic' John Wayne Western with 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating available on Prime Video

's breakthrough Western has been deemed his best with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Currently available to rent on , the 1939 action-adventure was directed by the legendary Hollywood director John Ford. It is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential films ever made, and in 1995, it was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in their National Film Registry. The movie took John Wayne from B-pictures to A-list leading man with Ford saying at the time: "He'll be the biggest star ever because he is the perfect 'everyman'". Rotten Tomatoes' consensus says: "Typifying the best that the Western genre has to offer, Stagecoach is a rip-roaring adventure given dramatic heft by John Ford's dynamic direction and John Wayne's mesmerizing star turn."

The plot revolves around an assorted group of colorful passengers aboard the Overland stagecoach bound for Lordsburg, New Mexico, in the 1880s. They must contend with an escaped outlaw, John Wayne's the Ringo Kid, and the ever-present threat of an Apache attack as they make their way across the Wild West.

Despite universal praise, it has drawn some criticism for its depiction of Native Americans as mere savages, which was usual of Westerners of the era. Fans have been accepting of this flaw as a trope of its time, though, and raved about it in reviews regardless.

"A truly essential classic...Beautifully filmed, acted, and directed with all the classic conventions of the Westerns genre... It also brings so many of the touches that John Ford used so successfully throughout his career, including Monument Valley. Did I mention it was the film that made John Wayne a star? And, for me, I will always appreciate the introduction of Claire Trevor into my movie awareness. Did I mention I love this film?" one gushed.

"Wonderful movie! It has it all: action, adventure, comedy, and romance! Plus, John Wayne! Who doesn't love John Wayne!?" another exclaimed.

"Fantastic Western, and the first John Wayne movie I've ever actually sat down and watched all the way through... I like how all the characters personalities clashed, and caused a lot of conflict throughout the film. There was some great stunt work in this film too... I also loved the dramatic use of camera turns, to show things hidden off screen or things that happened while the camera was pointed away," a third wrote in their appraisal.

A fourth opined: "While I'm not usually enticed by classic westerns, especially one that uses common tropes and stereotypes in its narrative, this film combines the common tropes and stereotypes in a creative, new way. The eclectic cast of characters are well developed and the viewer finds themselves invested in each story...the solid character development alone is a reason I would watch this again."

"I dislike westerns but this was a blast. You can see Ford's brilliance despite the film's age and technical limitations. There are some beautiful shots here as well as great action sequences.

"Also the film's ensemble cast delivers great performances that really flesh out the characters so that you care about them. There's humor, action, pathos, and a good story. What more can you ask for?" a fifth raved.

Meawhile a sixth enthused: "Words cannot describe how much I loved this film, I was super invested and it was just that good."

Stagecoach is available to rent on Prime Video.