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For reasons that are unbeknownst to me, the stretch of the calendar between mid-August and mid-September has become the most unconventional time of the year for the film industry. With the spectacle of summer all but completely finished and the glamour of fall's prestige pics lurking on the horizon, Hollywood has recently decided to dedicate this part of the calendar to risks they can't afford to take at any other time of the year. Everything from oddball mid-budget fare that didn't fit in with their prime summer slate to low-budget horror flicks to well-reviewed indie fare to long-delayed crap that they didn't feel like releasing last winter makes its way into theaters during this four-to-five week transitional period. The quality of these films are clearly all over the map, but the level of genre diversity and original products that tend to hit the marketplace during this time makes it a very thrilling period for avid moviegoers. Wind River, the first high-profile directorial effort from Sicario and Hell or High Water writer Taylor Sheridan, is a premier example of the greatness that can be found during Hollywood's unofficial "Island of Misfit Toys" period.
When writers make the leap to directing, there's always a sense that they might be in over their head. Just because you know to how to craft an effective story doesn't mean you know how to handle actors, establish the proper tone, pick the right camera angles, etc. Sheridan is not one of those people. As a director working from his own screenplay, Sheridan knows every single beat he needs to hit in order to maximize the effectiveness of his story. The dialogue-driven scenes do an excellent job of helping flesh out the motivations of every character, the burst of tension/action are perfectly deployed to elevate the stakes of the central mystery throughout and the desolate atmosphere that runs through every frame meshes beautifully with the frigid, isolated backdrop of the Wyoming Indian Reservation where it takes place. His understanding of structure and the palpable confidence in which he executes his vision is absolutely incredible for a guy whose only directed one straight-to-VOD horror film (Vile) before this.
The excellence of Wind River is further solidified by outstanding performances from Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen in the leading roles. Renner hasn't been this emotive or powerful on-screen since American Hustle while Olsen does an excellent job of reminding the world why she's one of the best young actresses in the industry after a string of middling turns as Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sheridan's reliance on straightforward plots pushes the characters to the forefront of his work and the plethora of terrific actors he's worked with on his first three projects as a writer have helped his minimalist, human approach to storytelling become booming successes.
As great as Sicario and Hell or High Water are (they both finished just outside my top 10 films of 2015 and 2016 respectively), I believe Wind River is by far Sherdian's most impressive project to-date. Top-notch genre filmmaking is an underappreciated artform and you aren't going to find too many entries in the time-tested murder mystery/thriller genre that are as well-constructed, engrossing and satisfying from start to finish as this. Fingers crossed that Wind River can follow Hell or High Water's lead and get some recognition come awards season.
4.5/5 Stars
When writers make the leap to directing, there's always a sense that they might be in over their head. Just because you know to how to craft an effective story doesn't mean you know how to handle actors, establish the proper tone, pick the right camera angles, etc. Sheridan is not one of those people. As a director working from his own screenplay, Sheridan knows every single beat he needs to hit in order to maximize the effectiveness of his story. The dialogue-driven scenes do an excellent job of helping flesh out the motivations of every character, the burst of tension/action are perfectly deployed to elevate the stakes of the central mystery throughout and the desolate atmosphere that runs through every frame meshes beautifully with the frigid, isolated backdrop of the Wyoming Indian Reservation where it takes place. His understanding of structure and the palpable confidence in which he executes his vision is absolutely incredible for a guy whose only directed one straight-to-VOD horror film (Vile) before this.
The excellence of Wind River is further solidified by outstanding performances from Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen in the leading roles. Renner hasn't been this emotive or powerful on-screen since American Hustle while Olsen does an excellent job of reminding the world why she's one of the best young actresses in the industry after a string of middling turns as Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sheridan's reliance on straightforward plots pushes the characters to the forefront of his work and the plethora of terrific actors he's worked with on his first three projects as a writer have helped his minimalist, human approach to storytelling become booming successes.
As great as Sicario and Hell or High Water are (they both finished just outside my top 10 films of 2015 and 2016 respectively), I believe Wind River is by far Sherdian's most impressive project to-date. Top-notch genre filmmaking is an underappreciated artform and you aren't going to find too many entries in the time-tested murder mystery/thriller genre that are as well-constructed, engrossing and satisfying from start to finish as this. Fingers crossed that Wind River can follow Hell or High Water's lead and get some recognition come awards season.
4.5/5 Stars
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