Absorbing & Atmospheric!

Rating: 7/10 (25 October 2017)

Written & Directed by Taylor Sheridan, 'Wind River' is an absorbing & atmospheric Neo-Western Murder-Mystery Thriller Film, that works due to its strong making & solid performances. It may not be perfect, but it weighs higher on pluses way more than on minuses.
'Wind River' Synopsis: A veteran tracker with the Fish and Wildlife Service helps to investigate the murder of a young Native American woman, and uses the case as a means of seeking redemption for an earlier act of irresponsibility which ended in tragedy.
'Wind River' grippingly unfolds a brutal murder & how the people in charge get to the culprits. Cory Lambert, the protagonist (Jeremy Renner) is a man who's dealing with his own demons & gets a shot at redemption when this brutal murder occurs. The lady in command, Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) is a complete contrast to Cory, a rookie FBI special agent, who teams up with a man who's confronting way too many battles to get into another. And its the diversity & the connection of these 2 characters that make 'Wind River' all the more interesting. And Taylor Sheridan's Screenplay intelligently intertwines the extreme gap of its leading characters in a world of brutality & crime. The Writing builds up slowly, but never loses the momentum. What works more so for the Writing is the consistently serious tone, that never changes gear for the sake of cheap thrills.
Sheridan's Direction, too, is competent. Ben Richardson's Cinematography stunningly captures the wilderness as well as the brutality. Gary D. Roach's Editing is sharp. Art & Costume Design are authentic. Action-Sequences are nicely choreographed, but are too violent.
Performance-Wise: Renner & Olsen do some of their best work here. Renner, a splendid actor, portrays the guilt-sickened protagonist with genuine heartache & also flexes machismo when required. Olsen is beautifully restrained & proves her mettle as a performer. Others lend remarkable support.
On the whole, 'Wind River' is moody, chilling & engrossing. Don't miss this one.