Review of Wind River (2017) by Patricia W — 27 Feb 2018
After a young native American woman is found dead miles outside of town an FBI agent is called to the remote Wyoming reservation to aid in the investigation.
The plot is nothing new or particularly innovative but the performances and the setting are what make it so engaging and interesting to watch.
Elizabeth Olsen is good as Jane Banner, a FBI agent who is a fish out of water in the cold and isolated climate of Wyoming but it's Jeremy Renner who stood out with a very understated and effective performance as Cory Lambert, a local tracker with a dark past who is able to convey a lot of emotion without melodrama or big speeches. Gil Birmingham also gives quite a powerful performance as a grieving father that adds some real depth to the film.
The setting and background of the freezing Wyoming reservation is both a beautiful and frightening backdrop that really becomes its own character in the film. Filming on location certainly adds a lot to the film and the cinematography is excellent. The violence is also very realistic and quite brutal in places which fits the tone of the film well.
On the negative side, the pacing is a little off, the tension is built up quite nicely but then the sudden reveal of the killer and the events leading to the young woman's death is a little rushed and unsatisfying. However there are some satisfying conclusions to the film.
Overall I think this is a very well acted and produced film but what will stick with me most are the facts that are told to the viewer at the closing of this film which are shocking and deeply depressing.
This review of Wind River (2017) was written by Patricia W on 27 Feb 2018.
Wind River has generally received very positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
