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  YOU ARE HERE : Home > Categories > Movies > Thriller > Wind River
  ProdID: 7840 - Wind RiverDirected byTaylor Sheridan Product Score: 8.0 
Wind River

Price : $29.99
Supplier :
Available : December 2017

In a role critics are calling one of his best performances, Academy Award nominee, Jeremy Renner is Cory Lambert, a local game tracker. Out on patrol he stumbles upon the body of a murdered teenage girl, frozen in the desolate wilderness of the Wind River Indian Reservation. Still trying to come to terms with the death of his own daughter, Cory is forced, most brutally, to confront his own past.

When rookie FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) is assigned to the case, she enlists Cory's help to navigate the unfamiliar terrain and unforgiving conditions as the two venture deep into a world ravaged by violence and the elements.

Wind River is a start look at life on the edge of an imposing wilderness, where the rule of law is eclipsed by the laws of nature.
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michelleh   Review #19172 - Dated: 23rd of December, 2017
  Author: michelleh

When you're hot and sweaty and trying to relax in 26oC heat, watching a movie based in a freezing desolate wilderness is just what you need! I put the fan on and looked forward to watching Wind River, described as 'more than just another action thriller' by Screen Daily.

If you're a fan of Jeremy Renner, (from The Avengers and Mission Impossible films), then you won't be disappointed with his performance as Cory Lambert, a local game tracker and expert marksman who has the misfortune of stumbling upon the body of a teenage girl who has been murdered. The start of the film follows Lambert's day to day life but this changes when rookie FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) arrives. She is tasked with establishing that a murder has taken place and who is responsible. From then on, we get to view the bleak surroundings from her perspective and what we see is an unforgiving and male orientated world.

Featuring sweeping shots of snow, blizzards, more snow and a few 'fine' spells the scenery, for the most part, is stunning and demonstrates the mood of the story.

Olsen plays Banner convincingly and comes across as a suitably inexperienced but very eager agent who wants to see justice served. The film is set in Wyoming on the West River Indian Reservation and Banner requests Lambert's help to navigate the harsh environment. They form a great team with a natural screen chemistry, helped by them working together in previous films. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that Taylor Sheridan did not add any unnecessary romance between the two to detract from the main storyline. There is lots of meaningful dialogue and some moving monologues between Lambert and Martin (father of the murdered teenager) with plenty of narrative twists and turns to keep up the suspense. There is some impressive but brutal action which was a little unexpected and a flashback to provide a thorough explanation of what happened which is a sombre conclusion.

The films finishes on a dark note by stating the real-life revelation that Native American women are the only demographic for which no missing persons information exists. With believable and excellent acting, Wind River is an intelligent and provocative film that keeps you entertained throughout and is definitely worth watching.

Plotline
Tension Factor
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Personal Choice
michelleh   Review #19166 - Dated: 21st of December, 2017
  Author: michelleh

I really enjoy crime drama's and enjoy watching Jeremey Renner on screen so was looking forward to watching Wind River. Renner plays Cory Lambert, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Tracker who we see first see camouflaged in the snow, picking off coyote that are preying on sheep. On one of his hunting expeditions, he discovers the frozen body of a young woman who we'd watched frantically running barefoot in the snow at the beginning of the movie. He recognizes her as Natalie (Kelsey Asbille), the best friend of his teenage daughter who also died mysteriously a few years earlier.

The tribal police get involved in the investigation as the death occurred on the Wind River reservation and Natalie (like Cory's daughter) was Native American. The dry and humorous, no-nonsense Chief Graham Greene is called in, along with the Feds, in the form of newbie FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen). A little out of her depth in the freezing wilderness of Wyoming, Banner enlists the help of Cory to help solve the murder and navigate the remote and secretive land. During the investigation, another body is found and it is revealed to be Matt, Natalie's mysterious boyfriend who works as a security guard at the nearby oil drilling site and slowly the pieces fit the puzzle.

The first two thirds of the movie are slow going and more dialogue driven but when Cory and Jane independently find the suspect, the action really heats up. A short flashback provides the answers as to who killed Natalie, how and why, although (a little disappointing in my opinion) Cory's daughters murder (which we had previously heard details about) remains unsolved. There are solid performances throughout and some heartfelt monologues, especially between Cory and Martin (Natalie's father) as they both slowly come to terms with their daughter's death.

There is good chemistry between Cory and Jane and I particularly liked the fact that Taylor Sheridan didn't try to add in an unnecessary romance between them to distract from the main plot. Something I didn't know, which was stated on a title card at the end, is that missing person statistics are kept for every demographic group, except for Native American Women whose number remain unknown! This may tie in with why Cory's daughters death remains unsolved.....

I really enjoyed this entertaining film which had a moving take on murder and rape and would recommend if you're looking for something a little different.

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Printed at 11:54:57pm on Thursday 28th March 2024