Taylor Sheridan, writer of Sicario and Hell or High Water, has stepped into the director’s chair for his latest exploration of murky justice. Wind River centers on a murder at a Native American reservation, places caught up in a complicated legal status that often hampers law enforcement. The setup provides Sheridan another opportunity to steep his action in issues specific to forlorn places, and Wind River looks like it wallows in the snow as much as Hell or High Water sweated in the heat.
With Elizabeth Olsen as the lone FBI agent assigned to the case and Jeremy Renner as a tracker leading her through local customs, there’s a naive, fish out of water element here reminiscent of Sicario. It seems Sheridan is sticking close to what he knows, and frankly, I don’t think anyone’s complaining. His last two films catapulted him into the upper echelon of writers working today, and adding directing duties should position him as a real force in the industry moving forward.
The final cut of Wind River was shown in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where it snagged Best Director in the Un Certain Regard section and received a standing ovation at its premiere. It seems that the industry is ready to anoint Sheridan, and attaching two MCU stars should help its marketability to general audiences. Wind River looks like a sure-fire success.
Wind River is directed by Taylor Sheridan and stars Elizabeth Olsen and Jeremy Renner. It will be released in the U.S. on August 4th, 2017 and in the U.K. on September 8th, 2017. For international release dates, click here.
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