It's True Detective season 2 all over again...

Rating: 6/10 (20 September 2017)

Hearing the raving reviews about Wind River caught my attention but only after finding out that it was written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, the writer of last years Hell or High Water, which I absolutely love, did I decide that I'd definitely check it out in the theatres. I have to admit I left kinda disappointed.
During Wind River all I could think about was the resemblance to True Detective, season 2 that is:
Both were written by someone who previously created something amazing and kind of special (True Detective season 1 and Hell or High Water), but ultimately failing to recreate that same magic, that lightning in a bottle with their following work - Pizzolato's TD season 2 and now Sheridan's Wind River.
Other than the circumstances of making them, they share the same problems in writing, directing and production and weirdly enough I found this to be true in their positive attributes as well.
Wind River has impressive cinematography and an incredible sense of chilling atmosphere, which actually made me feel cold and shaky at times, creating a gloomy and depressed mood, which was complimented by the incredible and fittingly melancholic soundtrack, again just like TD season 2. This being said I did think that the story was quite basic, bit too simple and slightly unengaging, lacking layered well-written or at least unique characters. That being said the actors did a solid job with what they had, in TD- S2 it was Collin Farrel, Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAddams and here Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen (along with Graham Greene who was probably my favourite) who elevated their underdeveloped characters with their performances. Some of the dialogue while having some well-thought out interesting ideas and touching moments felt a bit forced, unrealistic. Finally, the director! True Detective had Cary Fukunaga and Hell or High Water had David Mackenzie, the directors and writers complimented each other perfectly, but TD without Fukunaga and Sheridan directing feels like its missing something.
All in all, both Wind River and season 2 of True Detective, while having some pacing issues, are well above the average crime thrillers we get nowadays (e.g.: Sleepless), that have personality and are worth seeing for sure (if only for their climax which is extremely satisfying and touching in both cases).