Wind River
Wind River
A wildlife officer helps an FBI agent investigate a murder on an American Indian reservation.
N8 reviewedOctober 10, 2024
Wind River is a truly compelling crime story. The script is smartly written, and the performances are all excellent, especially Elizabeth Olsen's. This is arguably her most powerful and nuanced work since Martha Marcy May Marlene.
Taylor Sheridan, known for writing impressive screenplays like Sicario and Hell or High Water, delivers a striking directorial debut with Wind River. He masterfully crafts a tense and atmospheric thriller that keeps you hooked until the very end. I'm eager to see what he does next, as he's clearly a rising force in cinema.
One of the things I appreciated most about "Wind River" is that it avoids the typical serial killer trope. Instead, the film explores a tragic set of circumstances fueled by poor choices and the harsh realities of life on a Native American reservation. There's no elaborate conspiracy, no shadowy figure stalking the protagonists, just a raw and deeply unsettling depiction of how desperation and systemic issues can intersect with devastating consequences.
This approach effectively highlights the true nature of the problem: it's not about a few inherently evil individuals, but rather a multitude of challenges faced by the community. Poverty, isolation, lack of resources, and historical trauma all contribute to an environment where violence can easily erupt. Wind River doesn't shy away from portraying these complexities, making it a powerful and thought-provoking film.