“Hell or High Water” is a good, old-fashioned Texas potboiler with a magnificent cast that builds to an explosive finale. It’s one of 2016’s best films.

Chris Pine and Ben Foster play Toby and Tanner Howard. Toby is a divorced dad while Tanner is an ex-con. When the family’s west Texas ranch is on the verge of foreclosure, the brothers come up with an idea of robbing branches of the bank that gave their late mother the loan and paying that loan back to the same bank they just stole the money from.

In the midst of their plan, a soon-to-be-retired Texas Ranger named Marcus (Jeff Bridges) and his partner Alberto (Gil Birmingham) begin to investigate the robberies and are in hot pursuit of the brothers.

“Hell or High Water” was written by Taylor Sheridan, who also wrote one of last year’s best films, “Sicario.” There are similarities in both films – quality storytelling that draws from elements of classic Westerns to create something rich with tension and with much more depth than it appears on the surface. “High Water” isn’t just a crime thriller, it’s a film that has some interesting insight into the dangers of predatory loans and how its effects can stretch throughout a family.

The cast shines as well.

Pine gets to do something a little grittier than the “Star Trek” franchise and succeeds, holding his own against Foster’s trademark intensity.

But Bridges really stands out. Scenes with Birmingham that could have been throwaway moments in other films are among some of the best in “High Water,” with their partnership akin to a long marriage – albeit one that features a lot of ribbing from Marcus that could clearly cross the line.

When something happens in the third act, it makes those scenes even more important and helps set up a showdown that is as tense as any film I’ve seen this year.

Bridges, who already has an Oscar, could be headed toward another nomination, and it might not be the only one that this worthy film should be considered for.

Also in theaters

While “Hell or High Water” continues to find an audience, the thriller “Don’t Breathe” (C+) was a big surprise at the box office this weekend, unseating “Suicide Squad” for the top spot. “Don’t Breathe” starts out well enough before eventually jumping the rails, a near miss that could have been more.

In “Don’t Breathe,” a group of friends – Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette) and Money (Daniel Zovatto) – break into the house of a wealthy Gulf War veteran (Stephen Lang) who is blind. What appears to be an easy heist soon becomes anything but as they discover the blind loner is determined to fight back and protect some dark secrets hidden within his home.

Barely clocking in at 90 minutes, co-writer and director Fede Alvarez tries not to overstay his welcome with the audience – and nearly succeeds.

The setup is interesting and Alvarez does a really good job with space, silence and lighting to amp up the attention as the trio turn from perpetrators to victims.

Eventually things get way too crazy. One twist is outrageous, but I was willing to go along with it. Unfortunately, “Don’t Breathe” goes to the “they aren’t really dead” well way too much – with these characters becoming modern-day Jason Vorhees. The door is even left open slightly for a sequel, which may be a possibility given the film’s opening week at the box office.

Considering “Don’t Breathe” really doesn’t contain enough for one film, I think a second film would be a very bad idea.

“Don’t Breathe” is rated R for terror, violence, disturbing content and language, including sexual references, and is now playing at the Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10 and Highland Cinemas in Glasgow.

— To read Micheal Compton’s thoughts on more movies, visit his blog at bgdailynews.com/blogs/reel_to_reel or follow him on Twitter @mcompton428. Email him at mcompton@bgdailynews.com. 

Starring: Chris Pine and Ben Foster

Director by: David Mackenzie

Rating: R for some strong violence, language throughout and brief sexuality

Playing at: Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12