Wind River

Name: Wind River
Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime
Released: August 4, 2017
Duration: 107 min
Rating: 73
Cast: Apesanahkwat, Elizabeth Olsen, Eric Lange, Gil Birmingham, Graham Greene

2017

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 44 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 341 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 341 Ratings

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Wind River

Movie Details & Credits

Voltage Pictures | Release Date: August 4, 2017 | R

Starring: Apesanahkwat, Elizabeth Olsen, Eric Lange, Gil Birmingham, Graham Greene, Jeremy Renner, Julia Jones, Kelsey Asbille, Tantoo Cardinal, Teo Briones

Summary: U.S. Fish & Wildlife agent Cory Lambert discovers a body in the rugged wilderness of the Wind River Indian Reservation. The FBI sends in rookie agent Jane Banner, but she’s unprepared for the difficulties created by the oppressive weather and isolation of the Wyoming winter. When she employs Cory as a tracker, the two venture deep into aU.S. Fish & Wildlife agent Cory Lambert discovers a body in the rugged wilderness of the Wind River Indian Reservation. The FBI sends in rookie agent Jane Banner, but she’s unprepared for the difficulties created by the oppressive weather and isolation of the Wyoming winter. When she employs Cory as a tracker, the two venture deep into a world ravaged by violence and the elements. Wind River is a stark look at life on the edge of an imposing wilderness, where the rule of law is eclipsed by the laws of nature. [Sundance]… Expand

Director: Taylor Sheridan

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 107 min

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Awards & Rankings

48	#48 Most Discussed Movie of 2017
63	#63 Most Shared Movie of 2017

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Richard Roeper

Aug 10, 2017

Writer-director Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River is a stark and beautiful and haunting 21st century Western thriller, filled with memorable visuals and poetic dialogue — and scenes of sudden, shocking, brutal violence. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Aug 10, 2017

[Renner] and Sheridan and some terrific, under-used supporting players...give Wind River a somber, grim grace and the relentless forward motion of a thriller. Read full review

Steve Pond

Jan 24, 2017

On the surface a tense investigative piece with Renner as a regular Sherlock of the snow, it also slips in cogent and damning points about the limitations and dead ends virtually forced on many residents of Native American reservations. Read full review

David Ehrlich

Jan 24, 2017

Wind River may not blow you away, but this bitter, visceral, and almost parodically intense thriller knows what it takes to survive. Read full review

Barry Hertz

Aug 10, 2017

Sheridan knows how to craft a tidy whodunit – and a late-act switch in perspective works better than it should – but he eventually leans toward sermonizing instead of storytelling, a well-intentioned move that edges the story just this close to melodrama. Read full review

A.A. Dowd

Aug 2, 2017

Driven by another of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis’ murmuring folk soundtracks, Wind River turns out to be the weakest of Sheridan’s loose trilogy — the one with the thinnest characterizations and the toughest time disguising its subtext as plainspoken townsfolk rapport. Read full review

Christopher Gray

Jul 29, 2017

When Taylor Sheridan is left to his own devices, his work seems more abrupt and shallow, no more so than when he resolves all of this film's lingering questions in one unremittingly nasty sideswipe of a flashback. Read full review

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User Reviews

LamontRaymond

Aug 5, 2017

Completely blown away by this film - saw it about 4 hours ago, yet I can't stop thinking about it. All phases of movie-making are so acutely honed in this picture - I'd be shocked if it weren't a best picture nominee. If Renner isn't at least considered for Best Actor, then the Academy isCompletely blown away by this film - saw it about 4 hours ago, yet I can't stop thinking about it. All phases of movie-making are so acutely honed in this picture - I'd be shocked if it weren't a best picture nominee. If Renner isn't at least considered for Best Actor, then the Academy is as stupid as I already think they are.… Expand

8 of 12 users found this helpful84

Jonah5

Feb 5, 2020

Sad portrayal of true life of communities living away from us and perceived as alien.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

NovastreamAU

Aug 14, 2017

Taylor Sheridan is the mastermind writer behind Denis Villeneuve’s “Sicario” (2015) and David Mackenzie’s “Hell or High Water” (2016), in which he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Although no continuity, “Wind River” acts as the final chapter in Sheridan’s neo-westernTaylor Sheridan is the mastermind writer behind Denis Villeneuve’s “Sicario” (2015) and David Mackenzie’s “Hell or High Water” (2016), in which he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Although no continuity, “Wind River” acts as the final chapter in Sheridan’s neo-western frontier trilogy, once again romanticising his passion for western tropes and the gun slinging violence of that era. Western feel aside, Texas-born Sheridan’s previous scripts were topical that provoked thought, discussion and insight into various issues. Wind River is no different. “Sicario” tackled the US war on Mexican drug cartels, trafficking and ambiguity of law enforcement methods and jurisdiction, whilst “Hell or High Water” highlighted the economic plight of West Texas, the US housing crisis and predatory practices of financial institutions. Wind River focuses on American social issues such as the marginalisation of Native Americans, impoverishment, substance abuse and cultural ignorance.

This crime thriller mystery opens with a barefoot teenage girl sprinting desperately across a moon soaked snow covered open plain, until she collapses with exhaustion, ultimately crawling to her death. The next day she is discovered by Cory Lambert, a Wyoming tracker played by Jeremy Renner, who immediately recognises her as a friend of his teenage daughter. With the death of the Native American girl occurring on the Wind River Native American Reservation, tribal police become involved, headed by its straight faced chief played by Graham Greene. The death also captures the attention of the FBI and they send their “closest” agent from Las Vegas to help investigate. Elizabeth Olsen joins Renner, her Avengers co-star, playing inexperienced FBI agent Jane Banner. Her girl like demeanor, lack of preparation for the harsh climate and cultural ignorance all brilliantly add to her fish out of water character and the reservations isolation from the outside world. Her character traits remind me of Jodie Foster’s Clarice Starling from The Silence of the Lambs.

Banner and Lambert combine to try and solve the mysterious circumstances of Natalie’s death with Lambert motivated by a past family tragedy. The relationship between Banner and Lambert is handled impressively as they both leverage each other’s skill set to move forward with the investigation. Despite her inexperience, Banner is still presented as a strong, equipped female lead, much like Sheridan wrote for Emily Blunt’s character in Sicario. Sheridan also avoids the temptation of making the two love interests, which would have been clichéd and made zero sense in the context of the story and each characters arc, instead establishing more of a mutual respect mentor relationship. Story wise, the rest of the film plays out as your typical police investigation slow burn until a violently intense climax lifted straight from the page of a Tarantino movie. It’s a climax that pays off, especially with an important scene that swerves the story from its seemingly conventional delivery that caught me off guard and was quite impressive and cleverly implemented.

This is easily one of Jeremy Renner’s best performances. It was a refreshing change that steered away from the emotionless brooding failure of Aaron Cross or light-hearted comic relief of a charter from the MCU. Lambert has personal demons that motivate him to help assist the investigation and although stoic for most parts, he has moments that scratch the surface of the heartbreak bubbling underneath. Renner’s best scenes come with Natalie’s grieving father Martin, played by the fantastic Gil Birmingham, also from Hell or High Water, who acts as a link for the socio-economic problems faced on the reservation. The cinematography captures the landscape perfectly, with some great high shots that emphasize the harsh environment during snow storms and picturesque mountains during the day.

Although she was flawless and matched Renner in performance and presence, Elizabeth Olsen’s character had very little back story or motivation other than being an FBI agent stationed in Las Vegas. Sheridan’s character driven scripts usually leave no stone un-turned and whilst it didn’t deter from the movie, it may have been a missed opportunity to strengthen FBI agent Banner’s impact.

The symbolism portrayed in the opening scene with Jeremy Renner acting as protector by sniping off a pack of wolves preying on a pack of weak defenceless goats sets the tone for the films narrative. Survival and protection from predators. Sheridan’s directorial debut and third original screenplay Wind River is equal parts impressive and hauntingly dark. Suffering from comic book hero fatigue? With some surprising cameos, an amazing cast and a character driven script, Wind River is a must for fans of original screenplays and contemporary crime thrillers with a western edge.… Expand

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

eagleeyeviking

Nov 21, 2017

While the whodunit lacks momentum, "Wind River" is a potent examination of various malaises, thanks to richly rendered characters and a beautifully shot setting.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Compi24

Aug 22, 2017

This final piece to Taylor Sheridan's "modern western" trilogy is as gloomy, as gut-wrenching, and as effective as any other film in the batch. But, what sets "Wind River" apart from both "Sicario" and "Hell Or High Water" - aside from the fact that this one features Sheridan himself in theThis final piece to Taylor Sheridan's "modern western" trilogy is as gloomy, as gut-wrenching, and as effective as any other film in the batch. But, what sets "Wind River" apart from both "Sicario" and "Hell Or High Water" - aside from the fact that this one features Sheridan himself in the director's chair - is just how staggering the message is this time around. True, the statements on the drug war and the housing/financial crisis made for interesting thematic fodder, but I think "Wind River" speaks to a topic that has unfortunately gone far less discussed: life on the Native American reservation. Couple these hauntingly illustrated truths with some brilliant performance work from both Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen, and you end up with one of the year's most underrated films.… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

GR8Mindzzzz

Nov 30, 2017

Pros : Music [ Back Ground Score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis] , Cinematography , Location , Some characterizations Cons : Slow Neutral View : An Okish but not a great thriller story

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Donsauce

Apr 12, 2018

Firstly I want to let you know, I created this account solely to review this movie and to right a wrong. How can a movie of this caliber get such positive reviews? I almost turned it off in the first minute, I mean wow!
I do feel bad for giving such a low score because most people involvedFirstly I want to let you know, I created this account solely to review this movie and to right a wrong. How can a movie of this caliber get such positive reviews? I almost turned it off in the first minute, I mean wow!
I do feel bad for giving such a low score because most people involved deserved much better for having to carry this collection of roughly glued together one liners. I mean all in all, it’s not bad if you can make it through all the poor product placement and sudden scene transitions with all new weather but so cold it will freeze your lungs but not cold enough to make their breath freeze? The unlikely circumstances with terrible stereotypes... but some of the lines stick with you and it might have been a great movie about a serious issue but the movie lacked finesse and was rough all over. Sorry.… Expand

1 of 7 users found this helpful16

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