Much more emotional than expected; it's impressive, captivating and affecting work.

Rating: 8/10 (1 March 2018)

'Wind River (2017)' is a much more emotional experience than pictures of the kind usually are, with time taken to ensure we empathise both with the family of the victim and with the investigators themselves rather than get caught up with the nuts-and-bolts calculation of detective work. The feature takes great care to handle its central theme of loss with an honest maturity that feels at times genuinely poignant and almost objectively true. Though the mystery aspects of the piece often seem to come second, they come second only to the excellent atmospheric and tonal work and the brilliantly well-realised characters. These really compound a tangible sense of place, allowing the icy chill of the snowy mountains to almost creep into your bones, and develop fully formed individuals that never take a step outside of themselves. Even if the mystery itself doesn't quite reach these heights, it is still supplemented by phenomenal peripheral elements which elevate every aspect of the piece right up until its near perfect end. It's seriously impressive, captivating and affecting work that solidifies this up-and-coming writer-director as a true talent to watch out for. 8/10