Siblings Joel and Ethan Coen made names for themselves as a directing pair and gained a cult following from movies “The Big Lebowski” and “No Country for Old Men.” The two later joined together to create “Hail, Caesar!,” a film that was met with more mixed reception from audiences.

On Nov. 8, their newest movie “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” was released in limited theaters, and the movie dropped on Netflix Friday. The two seem to have the goal in mind of recapturing their glory in a more widely accessible market, as the film has been released as a Netflix original.

Unfortunately, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is an even more disappointing film than “Hail, Caesar!” It feels like the Coen brothers lack the sharp writing ability they used to possess in spades, although their cinematography and casting choices are still top-notch.

The film doesn’t have a singular plot but is rather an anthology. Six entirely disconnected stories are presented, covering different themes such as murder, greed and betrayal. The only connecting factor is that all of the stories take place in a Wild West setting.

This movie was originally conceived as a miniseries — each episode would be a different story, rather than a two-hour film containing all six stories. The change in format clearly hurt the overall quality of their work.

The pacing of the stories is entirely off. The first three feel rushed and underdeveloped while the fifth and sixth drag and grind to a halt. The fourth is the only one that feels exactly as long as it should be, and, by extension, it is easily the best of the six stories overall.

A huge problem is that it feels like the Coen brothers are simply repeating familiar material rather than trying something new. Anyone who has seen at least some of their films will be able to guess where most of the stories are going very quickly.

The Wild West setting is nothing new for the duo. The betrayals, sudden violence and tragic storylines are all material they have covered frequently in the past and in far less underdeveloped ways, for that matter.

The performances are solid, and a few stand out as fantastic. Tim Blake Nelson and Tom Waits steal the show as Buster Scruggs and Prospector in their respective stories. There is not much that can be done with most of these characters, as the stories are either too rushed or plod along to do them justice.

Talented actors, such as Liam Neeson and James Franco, are wasted on thankless roles.

Visually, the film is a masterpiece, and viewers will be immediately sucked into the setting. Joel and Ethan have clearly put a lot of effort into making every detail, from clothing to buildings, as authentic as possible.

They have also upped the ante in terms of action set pieces. They utilize the Netflix budget well with some fun battles and shootouts that should be expected from any quality Western.

That being said, good visuals and a few memorable set pieces do not make up for weak writing. This is a shame because the Coen brothers have gained a reputation for their incredibly entertaining scripts and memorable characters.

It is hard to imagine any character, quote or storyline in this film becoming iconic. The Coen brothers have not released enough low-quality films yet for them to be called sell-outs, but the impression given by this film was that it was a cash grab. A very well-produced and directed cash grab, but a cash grab nonetheless.

Fans of the Coen brothers will likely watch the film the entire way through, but the only segment that is worthwhile viewing is the fourth story “All Gold Canyon.” It is by no means amazing, but it is well-paced and entertaining, with twists that will keep audiences guessing and a clever ending.

On the whole, “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” rarely manages to rise above mediocrity. It is boosted by the natural visual flair of the Coen brothers, but the writing is ultimately phoned in and forgettable.

One can only hope that the Coen brothers do not continue on this path, but it all depends on how well this film is received.