Wind River - A Visceral Wyoming Crime Story

Wind River 

Wind River is a movie with no right to be as good as it is. I was somewhat familiar with Taylor Sheridan's work, having seen Sicario and Hell or High Water. However, this movie solidified for me that I need to see everything this guy does in the future. His stories are so meaty in their enjoyment. He tackles the crime genre in one of the most engaging ways I've seen. Wind River was a movie that fired on all cylinders for me. The setting felt unique to me, and it might not be for others, but I thought setting the film on an Indian Reservation was an ingenious move. They're something I'm currently reading about in David Grann's "Killers of the Flower Moon," a book that Marin Scorsese is adapting next year. It's been a fascinating read, and Indian Reservations were something I barely knew. Sheridan films this side of the world in a way that makes it very engaging to explore. Sheridan shoots in so visceral and real. Just in the equipment, the characters use and how non-flashy this way of life looks. The very setting of the movie left me thinking about it for a few weeks after watching. 

Often, the writer-director transition doesn't always work, but I feel that Sheridan kept himself in control quite well. Aaron Sorkin, for example, his best work is when he's paired with a director. He needs a second voice to balance him out, and I feel like that's often the case with screenwriters. They don't have that balance without another director or writer on board. I thought that Sheridan balanced himself out perfectly. I don't feel like he ever went overboard with his writing or directing. I couldn't believe how hooked Sheridan got me into the mystery. The build-up of tension ramps up beautifully to the point where my mom and I were on the edge of our seats. 

Jeremy Renner remains a very understated voice in acting. His tortured conscience was fascinating to unpeel, and Elizabeth Olsen was the perfect balance for him. She's another subtle voice in the acting world that I've loved in everything I've seen her in. I could see Sheridan recreating the Emily Blunt character from Sicario. However, I enjoyed the journey her character went on. Seeing a character lose their innocence, not by doing something immoral but by realizing just how horrible parts of the world can be. It's not a character arc Sheridan created, but it's something he does very well. I loved how he crafted this story around the innocence of this person and then the path that Renner takes to avenge her death. The revenge for the loss of innocent life was incredibly riveting. The way all the themes and emotions came together was riveting. 

If you're a crime/thriller fan, I think this is one of the best out there. It's a hidden gem on Netflix that I highly recommend. The themes that Sheridan brings to the table with the Indian Reservation and the revenge for an innocent life were fantastic. I can't say enough how moving I found the directing Sheridan put behind this setting. The two leads are great, and the story is gripping. Check this out if you haven't. I was floored by how good this movie was.

 

Strong Recommend

9/10

- Noah Newcomb

Wind River Trailer