In the Wind River Indian
Reservation in Wyoming, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hunter Cory Lambert
(Jeremy Renner) is tracking down a mountain lion that has been recently
terrorizing local livestock. But what he finds in the winter wilderness is
far more chilling: the corpse of Natalie Hanson (Kelsey Chow), a teenage
resident of the reservation, frozen solid and showing signs of having been raped. Following protocol, the Tribal Police Chief
(Graham Greene) asks for Federal help, and rookie FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth
Olsen) is sent to investigate.
Unfamiliar with the place, she asks the help of Lambert, and together,
they try to solve the mystery of the local girl’s death.
Such is the plot of Wind River, the latest gripping thriller
written by actor-turned-screenwriter Taylor Sheridan, who also wrote Sicario and Hell or High Water. But
unlike these other two visually-compelling, richly-themed, character-driven
thrillers, he also serves as the director of Wind River. And I think he
did an amazing job.
The cinematography is gorgeous,
and when mixed together with the well-rendered sound design, the coldness of its setting
seemingly seeps through the screen. The slow-burn
mystery narrative flows steadily, executing quiet tension and suspense with precision
while utilizing clever editing for some interesting transitions. The dialogue is searing and authentic, and
delivered by well-realized, convincing characters. The acting is nuanced and strong all around; Renner
and Olsen probably delivered the best performances of their careers to date.
To sum it up, Wind River is a riveting, smart, and emotional
film brought about by outstanding writing, direction, acting, and all other production
elements. Definitely one of the best
movies of the year.
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