Western films have enjoyed somewhat of a major comeback in recent years, with audiences turning back to stories about outlaws, rangers and small-town justice. The genre has given us some of cinema’s most memorable characters, and many viewers still see Westerns as one of Hollywood’s best traditions.

But there is one modern film that many are calling it one of the best ever made, and it is now streaming for free on BBC iPlayer. The movie earned huge praise on release and quickly developed a loyal following. Fans say it has gripping performances, sharp writing and a story that keeps you watching until the very end. It also picked up several major award nominations and holds an impressive critical score.

The film in question is Hell or High Water. The 2016 neo-Western follows two brothers who carry out a series of bank robberies in a desperate attempt to save their family ranch.

A pair of Texas Rangers are sent to track them down, setting up a tense chase through small towns and open desert.

Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham lead the cast, with David Mackenzie directing and Taylor Sheridan writing the screenplay.

The film received extremely strong reviews from viewers. One person said: “High or High Water was not a let down in any way. One of the finest films of 2016 and to me all its four Oscar nominations were among the year’s most deserving.”

Another added: “David Mackenzie’s Hell or High Water is a brilliant movie that turns out to be an unexpected delight. It’s one of the best Westerns ever made. We need more movies like this.”

A third wrote: “You need to see this movie. That could be this entire review, but I think I should describe how amazing this film is.

“Unlike most summer movies, the writing is fantastic, keeping me and the rest of the people watching with me attached to the movie and its characters even when they are just talking in a diner or something.”

Someone else commented: “There are movies that are so good there are not enough words to describe how good they are. This is one of them.”

Hell or High Water premiered at the Cannes Film Festival before its worldwide release.

It went on to gross nearly £28million from a £9million budget and became one of the standout films of that year.

The American Film Institute selected it as one of the top 10 movies of 2016, and it earned four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Jeff Bridges.

It is also the second film in Taylor Sheridan’s American Frontier Trilogy, which includes Sicario and Wind River.

Much of the filming took place in New Mexico, even though the story is set in West Texas and Oklahoma.

The film has a 97% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 89% audience rating.

Hell or High Water is now available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer with a valid TV licence.