MPAA Rating: R/ Genre: Neo-Western Mystery/ Stars: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Graham Greene, Kelsey Asbille, Gil Birmingham, Julia Jones, Martin Sensmeier, Althea Sam, Teo Briones, Apesanahkwat, Tantoo Cardinal, Jon Bernthal, James Jordan, Hugh Dillon, Matthew Del Negro, Austin Grant, Ian Bohen, Eric Lange, Tyler Laracca, Gerald Tokala Clifford/Runtime: 107 minutes
I think it can safely be said that, amongst the collection of scribes operating in the land of movie magic nowadays, there is one name that I feel is particularly noteworthy. That name would be Taylor Sheridan. Indeed here is a man who got his start as an actor in such shows as Sons of Anarchy and Veronica Mars before then transitioning over to becoming a phenomenally skilled writer with such gems as Sicario, Hell or High Water, and the smash TV hit Yellowstone amongst others to his name. To that end, this now brings us to a slice of cinema from 2017 that he not only wrote, but also helmed known as Wind River and which I am reviewing for you today dear reader. Yet if you go into this thinking that this slice of cinema will be just like his prior 2 written efforts in the realm of cinema and engage you as a kinetic and edgy crime thriller you would only be half right. That’s because whilst yes this is a crime thriller, it also happens serves as an analysis on some of the characters at play in the narrative as well. A choice incidentally which does result in this film becoming a wee bit too jumbled for its own good. Thankfully despite this flaw and a few others, this film still manages to work thanks in large part to both the performances by the talented cast and the majority of the work behind the scenes definitely helps to pick up the slack. Thus yes Wind River may be a flawed cinematic ride to embark on, but trust me when I say that you can definitely do far worse.
The plot is as follows: Wind River gets its chilling story underway as we find ourselves first hand witnesses to a sight that most of us would rather not ever have to see in our lives. That being a scared out of her mind young woman engaged in a frantic and panicked dash through the snowy woods of Wyoming in the ice-cold dead of night. Suffice it to say that it is a dash that tragically does not end well for the young lady in question. From this emotional gut punch of a sight, the film then moves forward and introduces us to our hero Mr. Cory Lambert as he is going about his day. Cory, we soon learn, is a tracker of some skill for Fish and Wildlife Service on the Wind River (hence the title) Indian Reservation and who has just been assigned to go and hunt down some mountain lions which have been causing the people on the reservation a spot of trouble. Yet it isn’t the mountain lions that our hero will cross paths with soon enough, but rather the frozen body of the young woman from the beginning of the film. We soon see Cory diligently report this chilling (no pun intended) discovery to the reservation’s police chief who calls the Feds who, due to a significant lack of interest on their part, send in a dedicated yet ill-prepared for the elements to say nothing of how things are done on the reservation rookie agent by the name of Jane Banner all the way from Las Vegas to assist the chief, and by extension Cory, in uncovering what happened to this young woman. Yet as ill-prepared as Banner may have been for the elements at play that were waiting for her upon her arrival in Wyoming, trust me when I say that both her and Cory are equally as ill-prepared for just where this winding road made up of equal parts unresolved heartache, ice, snow, desolate landscapes, and yes murder of the most heinous sort plans on taking each of them as well…..
Now right off the bat it should be noted that the vast majority of this slice of cinema is one that functions very much as a slow-burn kind of film that is more than content to slowly but surely pull back the various layers of everything from its cast of characters and the complex and rundown world they are a part of all the way to the key puzzle at the heart of the film. On top of that, you should also know this slice of cinema is one that chooses to put significant more concentration on character construction rather than just engaging in acts of brutal violence left and right. Having said that however, there are moments where violence does in fact occur, but props to the film’s helmer for making it work just as effectively as the moments in the film that are more character-driven. In that regard therefore, I can safely say that this slice of cinema feels very much in terms of tone like cinematic kindred to No Country for Old Men, has the morality of a Western in the vein of 1992’s masterful Unforgiven, and checks off a lot of similar boxes, to say nothing of also operating with a winter setting in a manner reminiscent of 1998’s criminally underrated pulp crime saga A Simple Plan. Now, for as frigid and chilly as the narrative gets, it would all be for naught if the creative crew behind the camera made the setting feel warm, accessible, and even the tiniest shred of inviting. Fortunately, that is not an issue this film is saddled with as, even in the moments where the film gives us a panoramic view of the mountains, the film makes everything feel either raw to the bone or just plain biting and hostile. Suffice it to say that the shot selection on display in this slice of cinema is top-notch all whilst also giving the editing department the green light to do a masterful job at permitting the impending peril our heroes will eventually have to face to just hover in the air like breath on a cold winter’s morn. We can also see that the musical accompaniment for this particular slice of cinema, contributed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, makes us very aware that the landscape we are heading into is one that is less about jurisdiction and more about possessing the will to survive against the odds. A concept that, when blended together with some truly soulful lyrical work, makes this soundtrack truly haunting yet riveting to listen to in equal measure. Now in terms of his work on this film’s screenplay, it should be noted that whilst the characters in this do engage in kinetic dialogue while facing dire scenarios as they did in Sheridan’s other screenplays, there are some situations in this that are downright bleak in nature. Be that as it may be, there is no denying that Sheridan is talented in permitting his story to unfurl for us not as a collection of narrative moments we can see on the horizon from a mile away, but instead as a significant component of a skillfully sculpted, and scraggly entry in the thriller genre. Yes I have no doubt that, due to certain tropes in this, you could easily compare this slice of cinema to others like it, but Sheridan manages to utilize those elements in a manner that, much like his prior works, feels refreshingly innovative. Suffice it to say that there might not be those who view this film as favorably as to the films Sheridan did when he was just “merely a scribe” on them, but for the rest of you I can safely say that what you will get with this film is an assertive first directorial effort that feels like a first time in the director’s chair and more like a writer finally getting the opportunity to put their vision on celluloid rather than on paper for someone else to film instead.
Of course, the other big positive that this slice of cinema has in its proverbial corner would be the talented cast of players that have been assembled to bring this movie vividly to life. This starts with Jeremy Renner in the role of Cory Lambert and honestly Renner nails this role hook, line, and sinker. Indeed, as Cory, Renner gives us a decent and hardworking guy who yes cares about his family and his job, but also has his own unresolved issues that I shan’t spoil here yet through this tragic set of circumstances finds a possible way for him to finally acquire both the closure and the emotional catharsis that have eluded him for quite a while. Suffice it to say that if you are simply aware of Renner due to his fantastic performance as Clint Barton/ Hawkeye in the MCU then be prepared to be astonished at the gravitas he puts on display here. If, however you are someone (like me) who has seen Renner show this kind of dramatic range before in such films as The Hurt Locker and The Town to name but a couple then this is just further proof of just how immensely talented this underrated actor really is. Working in synch with the work done by Renner in this however is the work done by Elizabeth Olsen in the role of Jane Banner (no relation incidentally to Renner’s Avengers teammate Bruce). Yes, in many respects the female law enforcement agent completely out of her element character may have been the character that Jodie Foster played to perfection with her portrayal of Clarice Starling in Silence of the Lambs, but there is still more than enough room at that given table for other actresses to make their mark. Suffice it to say that her character may not be as well-written as Renner’s, but there is no denying that Olsen (herself a vastly underrated actress) manages to bring a toughness and drive to the role that is nothing short of admirable. Yet as great as Renner and Olsen are in their respective roles, I also have to tip my hat to this film for also giving several great Native American character actors a chance to play vital parts in the proceedings as well. This includes Graham Greene (Dances with Wolves, Thunderheart) who is perfect casting in the role of the kindly yet weary and determined Tribal Police Chief Ben Shoyo, Gil Birmingham (Yellowstone, Hell or High Water) who is downright heartbreaking as the deceased girl’s father Martin, Martin Sensmeier (The Magnificent Seven) as the deceased girl’s more than slightly shifty brother Chip, and Tantoo Cardinal in her limited screentime as Cory’s former mother-in-law Alice to name but a few examples. Suffice it to say that this slice of cinema may have its fair share of issues, but by no means should blame be put on the cast for that because they are all fantastic no matter how big or small their respective roles in this slice of cinema may be.
All in all I am definitely of the belief that just because you are a great writer does not always mean you have what it takes to sit in the director’s chair and make a genuinely great movie (Maximum Overdrive not withstanding). Having said that however, there are moments where a writer in the land of movie magic has managed to step up and prove me wrong. I bring that up because I feel with this slice of cinema, the brilliant mind behind the screenplays for a pair of films I love with a passion called Hell or High Water and Sicario respectively named Taylor Sheridan has just proven me wrong. Yet if you ask me what it is about Sheridan that has managed to distinguish himself in such a manner I honestly can’t give you just one reason. Perhaps it’s because even in his writing you can see that Sheridan has the director mindset to him. On the other hand though, maybe it’s because Sheridan has a knack for vividly presenting us with brutal individuals operating on both avenues of the legal road so to speak, and to the nuances of criminality respectively. Suffice it to say it isn’t that much a spoiler to reveal that this slice of cinema is one that manages to continue to focus on these aspects that are so crucial to Sheridan and his talents as a writer. Yet, despite making his name in a genre that seems to excel more when you focus on elements that have nothing to do with the characters and their humanity, or lack thereof, we see that is not the case with Sheridan’s works. I say that because in his prior works Sheridan has managed to show us that sometimes the most thrilling thing of all isn’t a car chase or a gun battle. Rather, it’s how a seemingly ordinary person responds when swept up in the maelstrom of criminality; a trend he continues here even if the human element is more at play than the criminal one. Yet despite Sheridan’s skill being just as vibrantly on display with him in the director’s chair as much as in the writing booth, there is no denying that the script this time around feels a little off in certain ways. Indeed not only is the mystery solved a lot easier than you might be anticipating, but there is an insane standoff moment that makes you wonder just what all the fuss is about. On top of that, there is a key albeit oddly placed moment late in the film that, although appropriately visceral, I wish had been put in at the beginning of the film rather than so close to the end. Thus, I think I can safely say that no Wind River is not as riveting as Sicario or magnetic as Hell or High Water. At the same time however, it IS definitely skillful and compelling enough to prove that Taylor Sheridan, as a director, definitely has what it takes especially when he is getting the chance to work with a crew and a cast as immensely talented as this slice of cinema manages to possess. Yet, as we all know from making a puzzle at one time or another, it’s not enough to just have all the pieces. Rather, you also have to know how to put them together in a way that works and creates a magnificent picture that is worthy of each of those individual pieces coming together in the way that they did. Make of that what thou will dear reader. On a scale of 1-5 I give Wind River “2017” a solid 3.5 out of 5.
