There are so many takeaways from Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River that I don’t even know which one to bring out first. Though flawed, this is the best movie of 2017 through the first eight months of the year. It is an epic masterpiece that might be missed by the typical moviegoer who is so overwhelmed with the commercialization of movies like Wonder Woman, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and War of the Planet of the Apes that they might not even know it existed, let alone a movie that it might be interested in seeing. In a 2017 Hollywood that has seen a massive uptake in remakes, reboots, sequels, and prequels, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to find originality in a story and then, if you do, for that originality to come out in a way that encourages you to see it again and, hopefully, has a lasting impact on your life. That is what Sheridan, an incredibly gifted screenwriter, has done in his first film behind the camera. The memorable Sicario and Oscar-nominated Hell or High Water are already to his screenwriting credit. It’s unlikely that Wind River will receive the same box office success as his first movie or the same critical acclaim come Oscar season as his second, but this is one hell of a directorial debut.
Then there is Jeremy Renner (Kill the Messenger, Arrival), an actor who was circling the silver screen for a good seven years before he captured worldwide recognition and critical acclaim with back-to-back Oscar nominations after his performance as the fearless, cocky leader of an elite Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team in 2009’s The Hurt Locker and then the ruthless and remorseless sidekick to Ben Affleck’s conflicted protagonist character in 2010s The Town (the best movie in the best year for films in my lifetime). As an instant fan of his after these two classic films with career-defining rules, I was as upset with anyone when I saw him involve himself first with The Bourne Legacy, then The Mission: Impossible franchise, and then The Avengers franchise. I did not want to call him a sellout, and to involve himself with multiple appearances in one of these franchises might have been enough, but all three.
I know that making a movie takes time, and rightfully or wrongfully, I saw his opportunities for film roles. I wanted to see him going to other actors. But I’m never going to knock a person for trying to make the most money they can. He capitalized on his opportunities, and while he wasn’t in as many movies as I was interested in seeing him in when he took on roles where his paycheck was smaller, he picked good roles. Kill the Messenger is one of the best movies you’ve likely never heard of. And while he did take a secondary role to Amy Adams in Arrival, his performance was top-notch. He held his own in a movie that completely snubbed Adams for a Best Actress Academy Award nomination. With no disrespect to his performance in Kill the Messenger, Wind River is Renner’s best performance since his excellent back-to-back performances in 2009 and 2010.
Then there is Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla, Oldboy). Who would have ever thought she would be the most successful Olsen sister? Ten years ago, we didn’t even know Mary Kate, and Ashley had a younger sister. But now? But now, the future is bright. Olsen’s role as rookie FBI agent Jane Benner, straight out of Jacksonville, FL via way of Las Vegas, NV, thrown into the vast Wyoming wilderness to investigate the dead body of a local woman on an Indian Reservation, is her best movie to date. Splitting the screen equally with a heavyweight like Renner might seem intimidating for an actress who has mostly played support roles to date, but she more than holds her own.
Of course, it helps that she and US Fish and Wildlife Service agent Cory Lambert (Renner) are not only on the same team but on the same page for this entire film as they investigate what everyone knows, but no one can prove to be the murder of an 18-year-old local Indian woman who Lambert finds dead face first in the snow, blood bursting from her mouth after her lungs exploded from the frigid temperatures, more than three miles from the nearest place of civilization with nothing but a set of tracks to show she had been running. The tracks conveniently disappeared a quarter of a mile from where the body ended up due to a massive blizzard that swept through the area just before the body was found. Ironically, this blizzard was discussed so much during the film’s early parts. Still, once it passed through, I don’t even believe it snowed again, though it’s apparent we are in sub-zero temperatures across a frozen terrain throughout the film. And I have no problem with this at all. It was needed. If the tracks, or even how far Wilma traveled before her death, had been tracked back to where she began her barefoot (yes, barefoot) run from, we wouldn’t have much of a story, let alone a mystery
Cory has experienced his fair share of tragedy in the past. He is a hunter by trade, which we’ll learn all about. There are also tie-ins to this death, which we will learn about. The dead girl is the daughter of Martin (Gil Birmingham – Hell or High Water, The Lone Ranger), a longtime friend of his sniper friend. It’s been three years since Cory’s world was rocked, and while he has not recovered from it, he offers Martin a piece of advice that isn’t designed to help his friend get through it but rather to help the audience know how he can forge on. Cory can maintain his job, and while he is not separated from his life, he is still there for his young son Casey, who also serves as a parallel to the current storyline, but not very well (I do think that a lot was left on the cutting room floor in this movie to keep it clocking in at just under two hours). Cory uses logic to succeed in his job.
When Jane calls on him to help with the investigation after the town coroner ruled that the cause of death was from natural causes rather than murder, he acknowledges that the girl was repeatedly assaulted sexually and physically but is unable to sign the certificate saying that the cause of death was murder. Ben (Graham Green – The Green Mile, Dances with Wolves), the town’s sheriff, has a force of five to cover a land area the size of Rhode Island. All involved understand that unless this case falls into their laps, it won’t be solved because the FBI won’t investigate the case on an Indian Reservation unless it is ruled a murder. Jane needs Cory to help navigate the terrain and interview the locals. Cory and Ben agree that she’s all they have, as she’s the only authority on the land. It is riveting how it all plays out. It’s storytelling and character development at its very best. And the characters don’t differ from their norms. The movie takes place over just a few days, and we don’t get much of Marin or his grieving wife. We don’t get much from anyone other than Cory and Jane, who form an instant friendship through respect.
The Wyoming winter’s landscapes serve as the entire story’s ambiance. We meet many other characters along the way, such as Cory, Jane, Ben, and a small local police force, who attempt to figure out what caused Jane to take off on barefoot and run for her life until the conditions catch up with her. The symbolism in this movie is layered thick, and perhaps it’s a little too much. But I won’t take that away from what I found to be an exhilarating experience. Much like Sicario or Hell or High Water, Wind River is methodical in its build-up, and, just like the movies above, while there is a mystery involved, you won’t be left scratching your head at the end. Say what you will about Sheridan, but his movies have you thoroughly engaged the whole time and erupt with much more ferocity than you’d imagine from how the stories begin (yes, even Sicario). I will mention the flaws of this movie even though I chose to ignore them. The first is that our protagonists don’t seem to be accountable for their actions. Yes, I understand that laws may differ on an Indian Reservation, but I still think a specific protocol would be involved when certain actions occur. The second is something I am not a fan of in movies and something we see too much of. And that is, bad things happen to good people or people other characters are close to, yet it’s almost like these things are an afterthought. There is no “mourning period” or even brief respites of sadness, if you will.
Wind River is a fantastic movie that forced me to abandon a hectic work summer to get back into movie review writing. This movie deserved a review. If you liked Sicario or Hell or High Water, absolutely see this movie. If you are a fan of Renner, this is a must-see. Wind River is the third-best performance of a career that will continue to grow when he’s not wasting his talents as Hawkeye in The Avengers (again, I get it). Or, if you want to see something completely original that will engross you from beginning to end, see Wind River. I don’t think you’ll be sorry.
Plot 10/10
Character Development 8.5/10
Character Chemistry 9/10
Acting 9.5/10
Screenplay 9/10
Directing 9.5/10
Cinematography 10/10
Sound 10/10
Hook and Reel 10/10
Universal Relevance 9.5/10
95%
A
Movies You Might Like If You Liked This Movie
- Hell or High Water
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- Gone Baby Gone
- Insomnia
- Sicario