Rising screenwriter Taylor Sheridan gets behind the camera for another
dose of pain and suffering…

*spoiler free*Follow ILT on twitter @iltfilm
Like ILT on facebook

Following the releases of Sicario (2015) and Hell or High Water (2016), Taylor Sheridan has comfortably assaulted his way onto my list of favourite Hollywood screenwriters. Already boasting a prolific, Academy Award-nominated output, it didn’t take the former Sons of Anarchy actor long to move back behind the camera for only the second time in his career (the first being the little-known, low budget horror flick, Vile). The resulting project, Wind River, is the third and final chapter of a quasi-trilogy preceded by Sicario and HOHW; three pictures penned by Sheridan and bridged by a rich thematic tapestry rooted in the sort of good old fashioned American bleakness oft-hidden from, or ignored by wider society.

In Wind River’s case, such bleakness comes in the form of the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming, where a barefoot girl lying dead in the snow draws a wildlife predator hunter (Jeremy Renner) and a young FBI agent (Elizabeth Olson) into an unlikely joint investigation. Whereas the core plot of HOHW is supplemented with numerous subtle allusions to the death of the American dream, here Sheridan forces his characters to physically and emotionally confront the tragic elements of their world head on, whether they be hardened locals or an unfamiliar newcomer.

As always, Sheridan’s writing is brutally frank but intelligently twisted at every turn. Even when you suspect a potential gut punch is right around the corner, you’re inevitably ill prepared for how hard you get hit. Having said that, no painful experience is included for the sake it. Each moment of dire social commentary further demonstrates the harsh realities faced by those who live in the wilderness, while also contributing specifically to the development and increasing likability of Olson’s fish-out-of-water federal agent.

Olson herself grows into the role, just as her character does her environment. Renner meanwhile, as noted by my pal sitting beside me in the theatre, seems naturally at home and far more memorable in a leading role. The two go well together as a result, with powerhouse torment and dry wit coming from veteran native supporting players Gil Birmingham – following up on his wonderful turn in HOHW – and the legendary Graham Greene of Dances with Wolves fame. Sheridan has noted previously that he prefers to keep a plot basic, so as to focus on the development of his characters; the might of whom (along with his dialogue) continues to stand out across a range of unique actors and directors.

From a technical standpoint, the Sheridan’s raw directorial prowess suits the on-edge tone of his material. The switching of shots from vast and subtle to closeup and shaky remind me, in an out there manner, of Sicario director Denis Villeneuve’s Polytechnique (2009). Such an approach can be jarring, but here it blends well enough to effectively compliment the action. Ben Richardson’s cinematography is beautifully organic at times, while Nick Cave and Warren Ellis opt for a low key, twisting-in-the-wind effect for their native-infused score, similar in both approach and execution to their work on HOHW.

Wind River, like Sicario and HOHW before it, is a well designed metaphor for how a battle fought in the belly of the beast inevitably results in morally questionable and ultimately tragic consequences, even when fought in the name of theoretically agreeable causes, such as relief, escape, or justice. Considering the state of the world around us, this alone makes it worth watching.

Follow ILT on twitter @iltfilm
Like ILT on facebook

Filed under: 2017, drama, film, hollywood, review, thriller Tagged: 2017, denis villeneuve, elizabeth olson, gil birmingham, graham greene, hell or high water, jeremy runner, nicholas lay, nick cave, polytechnique, review, sicario, taylor sheridan, warren ellis, wind river