Well Crafted and Understated Thriller

Rating: 8/10 (28 August 2017)

"Wind River" is easily one of the best mystery/thrillers to be released in years. The body of a young woman is found frozen in the wilderness of an Indian reservation and a female FBI agent teams up with a local hunter to uncover the secrets of the suspects and determine who is guilty of murder. The film is beautifully shot and well-acted by the entire cast. The director successfully conveys the somber tone from the beginning, due not just to the loss of the young woman's life but to the poverty and desperation of the locals. What stands out in this film is that it is all very real, from the dialogue to the scenery to the dim, cold surroundings. For much of the movie, the killer's identity remains a mystery, so the audience is taken along for the ride. The way the mystery unfolds is powerful and the film stays with you long after it is over.