A grief stricken thriller

Rating: 7/10 (3 October 2017)

I don't think it would be much of an exaggeration to say that "Wind River" director/writer Taylor Sheridan likes creating neo-westerns. His screenplays for "Sicario" and "Hell or High Water" both encompass lots of the themes and settings of westerns and sets it to modern times, and this film is not so different. It is centered around a white tracker/hunter, played by Jeremy Renner, who is living on the titular Indian Reserve in Wyoming. Early on we learn that he is still recovering from the unexpected death of his daughter from three years prior, so when he finds a body of a dead girl he immediately is interested. Luckily for him, the new wet-behind-the-ears FBI agent, played by Elizabeth Olsen. who shows up to take the case is in need of someone to help her navigate the unforgiving physical and social terrain of the reservation. This film does not play out like a buddy cop movie though, The characters and inhabitants of Wind River are all in pain in some way or another.
I think this film is compelling due to its characters, setting, and story (I'm a sucker for a good police procedural thriller), but is let down in the way of direction and some acting. This film is bleak and character driven. It isn't until around 20 minutes into the movie that Jeremy Renner's character, Cory, finds the body and sets the events of the film into motion. The time up until then is spent developing his character and the pain he is going through of losing his daughter. Here some of the dialogue is kind of weak and too on the nose, like "is that how sissy died", but overall it's still a welcome change of pace to movies that immediately drop you in on the action. Unfortunately what holds this film back the most is the directing. It's so f**king bland it's incredible. There's so much unnecessary hand-held, and so many weak cuts where scenes jump from one to another prematurely it is honestly quite frustrating. Yet by the time the tension filled third act of this film starts really heating up all my complaints for the film go right out the window. It's exciting, tense, and well shot. There's a style to be found in the action sequences that is just missing throughout the rest of this movie, which is a real shame as this could have been a 9/10 for me if the direction was just up to par. But that and some of Jeremy Renner's acting are the only things that really hold this film back at me. Yes there are some nit picks I have with it as well: like how nobody ever breathes out cold air even though it's supposed to be below freezing, and how sometimes the score ruins some of the tension (although for the most part I would have to say the score for this movie is pretty great) but these are minor issues and slight inconveniences at most. Overall this is an excellent film that explores a part of Modern America that is too often forgotten about or brushed aside.