Wind River

If you like movies and watch a large number of them every month, including the new ones, then you will appreciate a movie that is written so perfectly from start to finish that it's a pleasure to watch. That's probably why I would simply describe why I gave the film five stars. I had a feeling that from the beginning till the end I was watching a crime film with everything it entails. There were no complicated explanations, but an amazingly chilly atmosphere and wonderful locations. Everything fits together perfectly, and you enjoy not only the suffering of Elizabeth Olsen, but also Jeremy Renner, who became the lone fighter for justice the moment he put on the white overalls and ventured alone into the wild. I was excited. I didn’t miss a single minute of this movie. And the best part is that you can really feel that Taylor Sheridan is behind all of that. You can sense the chilling atmosphere of Sicario, but also the dangerous shoot offs of the film Hell or High Water. And yet you know that this film is in its way completely unique. Hopefully, Sheridan will maintain that diligence. When it comes to filmmaking craft, Wind River is one of the best films I saw in 2017. (12/10/2017)

A crisp, snowy crime movie with a chilling veneer. In the middle of the wilderness, hunter Cory Lambert finds the body of a raped Indian girl whose lungs burst in the frost. Who is responsible? The story is simple, but its strength lies in details. Elaborate, lifelike characters (typical Renner) and an atmosphere of ruin hides behind every footstep in the snow. The slow tempo suits the story perfectly. Recriminations, heart-searching, strong emotions. Action is fairly scarce, but the finale shootout is worth it. Very happy. P.S: A perfect explanation for why to be wary of seemingly friendly drunks. (21/10/2017)

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%. (19/10/2017)

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] (08/07/2017)

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. (09/07/2017)