Wind River

I saw this few days back on a Blu-ray. As an avid fan of Taylor Sheridan, was looking forward to this without watching the trailer. It is a very beautifully shot, well acted and distressing crime drama. The vast landscape becomes more than a vivid backdrop, it becomes a character in the film. Wind River is able to showcase Sheridans directing and storytelling strengths. From the dark border area (Sicario), to the scorching plains of Texas (Hell or ...) and to the frozen mountains in Wyoming in Wind river, the writer/director managed to make the landscape a character in the film. Jeremy Renner potrayed the role of a broken man who is keen on hunting the predators very well n he deserves an Oscar for his performance. The less said about the plot is better because one has to see this film rather than read about its plot. The film has a very strong social message. The films conclusion with the message was very horrifying n distressing.

Written & Directed by Taylor Sheridan, 'Wind River' is an absorbing & atmospheric Neo-Western Murder-Mystery Thriller Film, that works due to its strong making & solid performances. It may not be perfect, but it weighs higher on pluses way more than on minuses.

'Wind River' Synopsis: A veteran tracker with the Fish and Wildlife Service helps to investigate the murder of a young Native American woman, and uses the case as a means of seeking redemption for an earlier act of irresponsibility which ended in tragedy.

'Wind River' grippingly unfolds a brutal murder & how the people in charge get to the culprits. Cory Lambert, the protagonist (Jeremy Renner) is a man who's dealing with his own demons & gets a shot at redemption when this brutal murder occurs. The lady in command, Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) is a complete contrast to Cory, a rookie FBI special agent, who teams up with a man who's confronting way too many battles to get into another. And its the diversity & the connection of these 2 characters that make 'Wind River' all the more interesting. And Taylor Sheridan's Screenplay intelligently intertwines the extreme gap of its leading characters in a world of brutality & crime. The Writing builds up slowly, but never loses the momentum. What works more so for the Writing is the consistently serious tone, that never changes gear for the sake of cheap thrills.

Sheridan's Direction, too, is competent. Ben Richardson's Cinematography stunningly captures the wilderness as well as the brutality. Gary D. Roach's Editing is sharp. Art & Costume Design are authentic. Action-Sequences are nicely choreographed, but are too violent.

Performance-Wise: Renner & Olsen do some of their best work here. Renner, a splendid actor, portrays the guilt-sickened protagonist with genuine heartache & also flexes machismo when required. Olsen is beautifully restrained & proves her mettle as a performer. Others lend remarkable support.

On the whole, 'Wind River' is moody, chilling & engrossing. Don't miss this one.

Crime dramas have always been one of my favorite genres of filmmaking, especially the ones that take themselves seriously and pose interesting questions about life. Wind River takes the genre up in the cold, snowy tundra of the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. Gritty, brutal, and well-timed action, Wind River builds a simply structured crime film into an important conversation about missing persons with a great storyteller and one great cast.

Coming from writing the likes of Sicario and Hell or High Water, Taylor Sheridan is really making a career for himself. It's hard to imagine it's the same guy who made those short acting cameos in Veronica Mars back in the day, but Sheridan is separating himself from the pack in terms of his writing skills. I won't say that Wind River reaches the heights that either of his other two writing efforts did, but the sheer power of the subject matter of this film may take this film into Oscar season.

Jeremy Renner stars as Corey Lambert, a man with a tragic past, teams with Jane Banner (an FBI agent played by Elizabeth Olsen) to solve a murder. It's easy to label Banner as the "out of place woman who needs the help of a hardened man", because it can appear that way at first glance. But I'll view it as two people who cross paths with each other and end up working together to better their current situations. It also doesn't hurt that both Renner and Olsen have pre- established chemistry from the Marvel films, and dynamite together on screen.

However, I do believe that Sheridan could have done a slightly better job of directing the tone of Wind River. There were times where it seemed the actors were giving endearing performances and monologues, only to be sometimes interrupted by a subtle joke or a lighthearted comment. I think that just a minor change in direction of his actors would have changed those moments for the better. With that said, Sheridan's brutal touch of action when the film calls for it is impressive to say the least. It's those moments that helps put a realistic layer to Wind River.

Overall, Wind River is a grounded but moving take on murder, rape, and missing persons cases. Solid performances, sharp script, and nuanced storytelling, Wind River is a fascinating crime drama.

8.0/10

"Wind River" (2017 release; 107 min.) brings the story of Wildlife Officer Cory Lambert. As the movie opens, reminding us "Inspired By Actual Events", we briefly see a woman running for her life in the snow. We then are introduced to Lambert, who is hunting down wolves. Lambert visits his ex, where he picks up his young son for the day. Lambert then visits the parents of his ex, as their life stock has been attacked, possibly by a lion. In the course of starting his investigation, Lambert finds the frozen body of the woman we saw running for her life. Because it looks like a possible homicide, an FBI agent is called. At this point we're 10 min. into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie marks the second directing stint of highly praised writer (and erstwhile actor) Taylor Sheridan, whose previous two movies, 2015's "Sicario" and last year's "Hell or High Water", were among the top movie of the year for me. "Wind River" is for me one of the most anticipated movies of the year, period. With "Wind River", Sheridan goes in a very different direction again as compared to "Sicario" and "Hell or High Water", digging into a murder mystery, set in an Indian reservation in snow-covered Wyoming. Jeremy Renner brings perhaps his finest performance of his career as the Wildlife hunter/tracer Cory Lambert, who himself carries a heavy secret. Elizabeth Olsen is Jane Banner, the wide-eyed inexperienced FBI agent who is in way over her head but is determined to do what is right. "You are looking for clues but you are missing all the signs", remarks Lambert early on, and she begs him to help her. And there are plenty of potential suspects--it's not a coincidence that this is set in a community that has more than its share of crime and misery. Sheridan leads with confidence as the tension in the movie rarely lets up. Bottom line: this is another nice movie from Tayalor Sheridan, who in just a matter of a few years has become one of Hollywood most accomplished writer-directors. Can't wait for his next movie, "Soldado", a sequel to "Sicario", to be released next year.

"Wind River" opened this weekend at my local art house theater here in Cincinnati on not one, but two screens, a rarity. The Saturday matinée screening where I saw this at was attended very nicely for a matinée. I imagine that "Wind River" will benefit from the strong word-of-mouth that this will surely generate. If you are in the mood for a top-notch mystery drama with some stellar performances, you cannot go wrong with "Wind River" be it in the theater, on VOD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "Wind River" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

"Wind River" is a gripping murder mystery-thriller written and directed by Taylor Sheridan (Best Original Screenplay Oscar nominee for "Hell or High Water") starring Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen and Graham Greene, featuring an unusually strong supporting cast that includes many fine Native American actors.

Renner and Olsen play a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracker and an FBI agent, respectively, attempting to solve the murder of a young woman whose body is discovered by Renner under mysterious circumstances as he patrols the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

The film scrupulously avoids clichés and is tightly edited with nary a wasted moment, yet never feels rushed or artificial in performance or plot. Everyone and everything is there for a reason, and best of all, the audience is given credit for being able to keep up and connect the dots.

The violence, which is absolutely necessary, is kept at a bare minimum as a narrative device, explaining and clarifying rather than assaulting the senses.

Every character, even the most heinous, is portrayed as a fully developed human being rather than as stereotype.

We learn how the Native American culture is victimized in a way that takes us inside their world and their souls, but the journey is skillfully handled and never heavy handed.

The photography is perfectly rendered, celebrating the icy Wyoming scenery in a muted style consistent with the mood of the story.

Renner, Olsen and Greene are excellent and believable, but in no small way this is an ensemble piece whose potency and effectiveness derive from the palpable passion and belief of everyone in front of and behind the camera.

This is an engrossing story well worth your time and money, and kudos to everyone involved for having faith that a discerning audience will find and appreciate it.