WIND RIVER REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Taylor Sheridan is best known for writing the screenplays for Sicario and Hell Or High Water, both of which were successful in terms of reception, box office and at the Academy Awards. However, for the first time in his career, Sheridan directs and his latest feature, Wind River, is a very impressive debut. I doubt those who have seen and liked the aforementioned films will be disappointed as the tone of Wind River is very similar. It's dark, grim and, at times, disturbing. While all three films can be described as crime thrillers, they're more concerned with deeply flawed and wounded characters. 

A rookie FBI agent, Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen), teams up with a local game tracker with deep community ties and a haunted past, Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner), to investigate the murder of a local girl, Natalie (Kelsey Asbille) on a remote Native American Reservation in the hopes of solving her mysterious death.

Wind River begins by stating that this story was 'inspired by true events'. This makes the film all the more difficult to watch, however, it never fails to lose our attention. Every scene is just as intense as the one before it as we follow both Banner and Lambert as they work together to find out what happened to Natalie. The whole narrative is heavily driven by the two and are developed into three dimensional characters over the course of the film. This is mainly thanks to Sheridan's expert writing but also because of the two strong performances both Renner and Olsen give. Prior to their appearance in Wind River, the pair are best known for appearing in the Avengers films, however, it doesn't take us long to forget about Hawkeye and the Scarlet Witch once we first meet their characters. Renner's Lambert is a caring father but is still haunted by the death of his daughter three years earlier. Natalie's death effects him as his daughter was best friends with her and he becomes determined to find out what happened to her. This leads to him helping FBI agent, Banner, who is unprepared for what lies ahead. Despite this, she remains brave and fierce throughout. Both actors give what is probably their best performances in their career so far. Renner's best scene occurs when he talks about his daughter's death to Banner. We feel his heartbreak and makes us more sympathetic towards him.

Sheridan's screenplay has everything a murder mystery fan can expect: red herrings, belligerent witnesses, unhelpful friends and family, romance and sex and an element of personal danger for the investigators. A few gun shoot outs appear every now and again, but those hoping for a James Bond type action are better off looking elsewhere. Wind River is more of a slow-burn thriller and is focused on a gradual build up of tension until the pressure is released in a sudden burst. The narrative isn't that unpredictable and those who enjoy this genre probably won't be surprised with how things turn out in the end. However, the story is skillfully told and, in the end, there isn't any ambiguity about the crime. The revelation is told via a flashback and us, as a viewer, are privy to more information than the characters. This flashback may be difficult to watch as it features a graphic rape scene so I would hesitate before watching this. Another triggering scene shows Banner walking in on Natalie's mother self-harming. Those who are triggered by rape and self-harm may want to give this a miss. 

Admittedly, having not seen Sicario or Hell Or High Water, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this. Fortunately, Wind River proved to be better than what I expected and has now made me want to watch the aforementioned films. Sicario was directed by Denis Villeneuve and Hell Or High Water was directed by David Mackenzie, however, Sheridan proves himself to be just as capable as either of the two directors in realising his vision - the bleak, cold, snowy setting is effectively crafted and Wind River crackles with intensity when the need arises. Its narrative matches the character-based aspects with the mystery/thriller ones for a late summer experience that is compelling and moving. I can definitely see this being acknowledged by the Academy next year, it's too good not to go unnoticed.

Wind River grabs its viewer's attention by luring them into a character-driven mystery-based narrative with smart writing, two strong leading performances and a skillfully rendered setting that delivers the bitter chill promised by its title.

8/10