Wind River

A chilling, gradually escalating thriller set in the harsh American countryside, with minimalist production design, actors who don't talk much and, above all, an existential subtext dealing with life's greatest and most intimate losses. All wrapped up in an atmospheric and engaging crime package, where an FBI agent and her colleagues gradually and very straightforwardly uncover the evidence and traces of a murder mystery, leading to an infernal finale that you see about once every 50 or so films. A great example of perfectly mined screenwriting. (09/30/2017)

The Indian reservation of Wind River is not a place that you would choose for a pleasant luxury vacation. It is an inhospitable, sparsely populated place far from civilization, where only those who have no other choice or those who do not need much in life and do not want much from it live. The discovery of a raped Native American girl's body brings together local predator hunter Cory and inexperienced FBI agent Jane. The subsequent investigation can be considered a counterbalance to crime thrillers based on effects and shocking plot twists. It is an intimate story full of weight, bitterness, and melancholy. Although I did not find in it the promised "mystery," the majestic nature of the freezing mountains and the slowly dosed tension was more than enough for me. Taylor Sheridan is primarily a screenwriter, and it might have been better to look for a more established name for the director's position, but it is not that crucial. Rather, I would like to emphasize again: do not expect anything relaxing, this is an adult drama with a slower pace and without clever screenwriting tricks, built on acting performances and tragedies of ruined human lives. Wind River is a film that you don't necessarily have to see in movie theaters, but you shouldn't miss it. It is an above-average genre film that may not elicit a burst of superlatives from most viewers, but it reliably does its job. Overall impression: 75%. (10/19/2017)

With the intense atmosphere of the location and a clever reminder of the social position of Native Americans in contemporary America, Wind River serves up a chilling, perfectly directed thriller and a desperately sad drama about the greatest loss in life in one package. A potential Academy Award winner. [Karlovy Vary IFF] (07/08/2017)

As expected, Sheridan presents himself as a significantly better screenwriter than a director. Even so, he is not ridiculous in his new role, he certainly does not spoil anything (he even delivers good performance), but surprisingly he cannot take full advantage of the possibilities that his own topic provides him with. And where it is more than obvious it´s the work with the environment. Where Villeneuve/Mackenzie (and I'd bet Sollima too) work with the sketched environment of arid depopulated plains as an integral part and reflection of the soul, almost the main character, so all the whining of the freezing wind, the crunching of snow under snowshoes and endless freezing distances do not fulfill this role to the extent that would be appropriate. In the beginning, they do (and in a captivating way), but it then it seems that he said to himself as if he has already given too much space to it, and in the second half he takes the ruthless landscape and its role for granted. And this is an unjustifiable mistake for a this kind of movie. Otherwise there is nothing to complain about. It's exactly the dense minimalist taciturn "McCarthy" supra-genre rough old-school contribution with an overlap building on the magnificently profiled characters that one would expect from Sheridan. (07/09/2017)

An Indian girl was found murdered in the middle of Wyoming. An FBI agent arrives on the scene to find the killer with the help of a local tracker. Little does she know that this inhospitable land may be a bit too much for her to handle. Taylor Sheridan's directorial debut follows in the footsteps of his earlier films, and this time we get an atmospheric, gritty and manly piece where there's plenty of time for everything, but the slowly building atmosphere is ultimately so intense that you'll be biting your nails with suspense. And root for Jeremy Renner to win an Oscar. (08/16/2017)