Elizabeth Olsen and Jeremy Renner star in Wind River

Wind River, written and directed by Taylor Sheridan is a thriller/mystery movie release in August of 2017. The film opens at night at Wyoming Wilderness on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Natalie Hanson, an 18-year-old Native American girl, is running barefoot through the snow while crying and looking back over her shoulder. Later, Corry Lambert (Jeremy Renner), hunter for the Fish and Wildlife Department, comes across Natalie’s dead body which is partly submerged in snow. Cory immediately reports the crime, and soon after, FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) arrives to investigate. Teaming up with Cory as a guide, they soon find that their lives are in danger while trying to solve the mystery of the teen’s death.

The setting of the thriller/mystery film Wind River is the Wind River Indian Reservation, where poor Native Americans struggle with outrageous rates of drug addiction and crime. The setting is full of broad, covered region of clean layers of white snow, disturbed only by a snowmobile creating a small path. One can hear the crunch of snow and feel the bitter winter chill going through one’s body. Sheridan uses setting to instantly immerse one’s mind in the film.

Additionally, Wind River contains a substantial amount of symbolism from the very opening of the film. For instance, when the film introduces Cory Lambert, a skilled tracker in the Wyoming wilds, he is lying on his stomach in the snow, hidden with his rifle, killing wolves that have been preying on sheep. He’s a protector because it’s his occupation, but as one discovers throughout the film, that profession has become extremely personal, as he’s continuously looking out and protecting Jane.

In addition to symbolism, Sheridan handles the relationship between Jane and Cory quite cleverly. They’re both about equal, but they both need and learn from each other. Also, although Cory and Jane seem to have a natural, emotional, and psychological relationship, Sheridan doesn’t drive his characters together in a strange and pointless romance.

Sheridan’s storytelling is quite interesting, and his pacing moves along steadily building to the climax at which it eventually explodes in a burst of violence. The way the characters talk feels like a type of poetry that can either be quite moving or it can serve as a nuisance to one’s ears. Moreover, Sheridan’s script can be very powerful in its quiet moments such as when characters intentionally hide information from each other. At times, Sheridan has his characters spell out what they’re thinking and feeling, and that is often the case in conversations between Cory and Martin (Gil Birmingham). However, the words are so soft and fine and come from a place of deep truth, which makes it difficult not to be moved. The words certainly help provide Wind River a simultaneous and paradoxical sense of endlessness and immediacy.

Although I had to watch this movie several times to fully understand and analyze it, I had an incredible experience watching this film. I really enjoyed this film mainly because it’s a thriller/mystery movie which immersed me from the very beginning of the movie. Also, I really like the way Sheridan used setting, symbolism, and voice throughout the movie to give further insight into the film. One of the main elements I disliked was the complexity of the film. Nonetheless, I would still recommend this film.