A year before launching Yellowstone on TV, Taylor Sheridan wrote and directed a neo-Western crime film called Wind River.
This thrilling flick was only Sheridan’s second time as the director of a feature film, and he did an amazing job.
The story revolves around the murder of a Native American woman, Natalie Hanson (Kelsey Asbille). Her death soon leads investigators to realize they’re actually trying to solve two murders, not one.
Since this movie has recently returned to Netflix, Watch With Us is sharing the three reasons you need to watch Wind River this month.
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It’s an ‘Avengers’ Reunion for Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen
Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen were still neck-deep in their Marvel era when they were cast as the stars of Wind River. Perhaps their familiarity with each other from the Avengers movies is why they had such great chemistry in this film. Renner plays U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Agent Cory Lambert, the man who discovers Natalie’s body. FBI Agent Jane Banner (Olsen) is sent shortly thereafter to determine if Natalie’s death was a homicide.
This is a serious film, and Renner and Olsen give it the gravitas it deserves. They leave their superhero personas behind for more human performances, although Renner’s Lambert does a few things that may stretch credulity. The rest of the cast is also very good in the film, especially during the extended flashback that reveals what really happened the night Natalie was killed.
‘Wind River’ Skillfully Sustains Its Tension and Suspense
Not everyone wants to see this mystery solved, but the biggest obstacles to solving this mystery are the men with something to hide. In some ways, it’s easier to infer what the story is about just from the way that Brenner and Lambert are received by people who supposedly knew the victims of their crime.
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While the movie does eventually present viewers with the way that Natalie and someone close to her were killed, the film isn’t given the respect that it’s due. The rising suspense between the law officers and their prey explodes on screen and gives Wind River its flavor.
It’s Masterfully Written and Directed by Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan deserves his victory lap for Wind River. Although it was only modestly successful at the box office, Wind River is arguably one of the top movies of 2017 and deserves every accolade it received. The natural scenery looks breathtakingly cold and uninviting, but there’s no denying the beauty in the shots as well.
The narrative holds together for the film’s runtime, and one of the highlights is a scene late in the movie where Lambert confronts someone who committed the crime and makes sure that the victims get justice. There is a sequel coming up, Wind River: The Next Chapter. But with Sheridan, Renner and Olsen all slated to skip the sequel, there aren’t any compelling reasons to make that movie. It was perfect the first time.
Wind River is streaming on Netflix.
