Wind River is directed and written by Taylor Sheridan, and stars Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Graham Greene, and Gil Birmingham. This is Sheridan’s third film in his unofficial “places nobody wants to be in” trilogy, and could be his finest.
Unlike Hell or High Water, and Sicario, where he was only tasked as screenwriter. Sheridan is also on the director’s chair this time. Wind River is his second directorial effort after 2011’s Vile, and without a doubt Sheridan did such a remarkable job.
Wind River is cruel, and unforgiving. The movie does a great job of making you feel disgusted, and uncomfortable. This isn’t only credited to Sheridan’s masterful directing, and writing. A great amount of praise should also be given to Ben Richardson’s cinematography. Which filled this film with such cruelty, and hopelessness. Making sure you are on the edge of your seat throughout the film.
As for crime thrillers go, this doesn’t really focus much on investigation techniques, or mystery solving. That isn’t really the point of the film. Its statement is pretty much; horrible, godawful things happen in places like these, and you can’t do shit about it, without a doubt it delivers that statement brazenly.
Wind River doesn’t only feature great directing, writing, and cinematography. But great performances from its actors. Jeremy Renner gives probably his best performance.. ever? Oscar buzz? Same with Elizabeth Olsen. She embodies a great amount grit, and vulnerability at the same time. Gil Birmingham was full of anger, and hopelessness in his performance, and masterfully portrayed a father who lost a child to such a tragedy.
The only negative to Wind River is that to most people, it’s such a hard pill to swallow given its subject matter (and how fuckin’ well it portrayed it), this will probably a film most will watch only once. Although to some, that is a plus, instead of con.
Wind River proves Taylor Sheridan’s prowess in crafting such chilling, uncompromisingly cruel scenarios that reflect the world we live in today.
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