Wind River

I love this film for many reasons. It's not an overly complicated film. But it is well done. The setting is a Native American Reservation in Wyoming. The land is starkly beautiful. Winter here is harsh and unforgiving. I love the outdoors, and I love the tough, isolated, lifestyle of those living far from civilization, so I enjoyed this film from the start. The cast is very good, the acting also. I don't need a lot of surprise twists and a shocking ending in a detective story in order to enjoy a film, so it doesn't bother me at all that this one doesn't have that. The things which make this film different make it more enjoyable to me. I am frankly tired of the 'action/mystery' movies and the familiar formulas and techniques they employ: the rapid shift of camera perspectives used to simulate fighting action, the 70's reminiscent, 'fast n furious' car stunt segments with their blaring music, etc. Pharmaceutical companies, oil companies, preachers, and social conservatives are so frequently employed as villains in such films that it's beyond boring now. This film is different. It tells a story about the brutal death of an Indian girl, and her missing boyfriend. We see the actions of a few dedicated, over worked, law officers trying to solve the crime and bring the perpetrator to justice, and a civilian tracker contracted to help them. It pushes no hidden or thinly veiled agenda. It's just a story, set in the modern west, about human nature, crime, and justice.

I reckon that this is my favourite performance from a really well cast Jeremy Renner. He is an animal hunter who is shocked when he discovers the corpse of the daughter of one of his oldest friends. She has been brutally raped and murdered in their pristine snowy wilderness. The crime - on a Wyoming native American reservation pits local and state law officers against one another, but fortunately FBI agent "Jane" (Elisabeth Olsen) is soon on hand and so they team up with each other for what turns out to be quite a perilous investigation with not only the criminal to track down, but with a local community rife with mistrust and brutality not necessarily on their side either. As the mystery gradually unfolds before us, we are treated to some beautiful snowscape cinematography and to some well delivered efforts from Renner, Olsen, the legendary Graham Greene and some solid contributions from a supporting cast of largely indigenous acting talent. The story is a bit on the bleak side, there is little here for us by way of a let up in the relentless nastiness of the plot, but it is rarely dull and certainly worth a watch if you want something that will keep your brain engaged as well as your eyes.

**Overall : Wind River’s writing, acting, and setting result in one of the best murder thrillers of the last several years and a predecessor to one of the greatest shows on television - Yellowstone.** This exceptional mystery thriller faces off against the imposing desolation of the immense Wyoming wilderness. What would be a good story and mystery on its own is elevated to an incredible level by the isolation and hopelessness of the hostile environment. Back up, support and help are hours away as the small handful of law enforcement trying to cover hundreds upon hundreds of square miles lead the murder investigation alone. One wrong move, and it’s over. This movie’s tone, quality, and writing feel incredibly similar to the TV show Yellowstone which should be no surprise as Wind River is written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Yellowstone.