Dark, Finely Crafted Crime Drama

Rating: 7/10 (13 August 2017)

The screenwriter behind "Hell or High Water" and "Sicario" brings us this unique, independent crime drama about an investigation of a homicide of a young woman on a Native American reservation. Set in the bare, remote landscapes of snowy Wyoming, "Wind River" is nicely shot and staged. The film contains expertly filmed cinematography of the desolate landscape, matched with strong performances across the board. Jeremy Renner's performance as a Fish and Wildlife Service Agent who found the victim's body is strong and leads the way, but just as noteworthy is Elizabeth Olsen's role as an FBI agent called in to investigate the murder.
The film's style of narrative pacing is slow-burn, which works well given the plot and the context of the film's narrative exposition. The tone is dark and highly tense throughout, which also is quite effective given the grim nature of the story (and its violence.) What doesn't quite work, however, is some abrupt tonal shifts and plot devices that arise regarding some action-style scenes (shootouts, primarily) that detract from the film's otherwise slow and lurking tone. Because of that, "Wind River" isn't quite a masterpiece--but it is most certainly a good film that is worth seeing. 7.5/10