I went into Wind River not knowing a whole lot about the movie, which is rather refreshing in this day of non-stop and unavoidable advertisements. The only information I had was one trailer that my boyfriend had shown me a few weeks prior. Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen are superb together; you’ve probably seen them in the Avengers as Hawkeye and Scarlet Witch respectively. They just interact so beautifully with one another no matter the roles so I was already banking on that going into it. 

 

We stepped into the movie theatre (thank you $5 Tuesday’s at Lafayette Square!) and took our seats with a large Slurpee in tow. In summary and without giving anything away, a local girl is murdered on a Native American Reservation in Wyoming and the closest FBI agent, Jane is sent out to take a look. She’s ill prepared for the weather or for the inhabitants of the area. The man who happened upon the body of the girl is a game hunter by the name of Cody. She enlists his help to solve the case; his familiarity with the land and the locals is much needed. I don’t want to get into spoilers so I’ll just leave the summary at that. The movie is a nice little romp. It’s not overly long and it doesn’t lapse like some movies tend to do. You don’t feel there are unnecessary scenes; they all move the story forward at a nice clip. The events culminate in an explosive scene that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Overall I enjoyed it immensely. It’s a darker thriller. Definitely not a feel good romp but it has a satisfying ending and an enjoyable story. The characters are well rounded and the script flows nicely. 

 It also brought up something that’s been under the radar for years; the stark portrayal of life on an Indian Reservation. It’s a touchy topic they wove in well. I haven’t really seen another movie bring it up, especially not so deftly.  I did a little Googling and the rates of drug and alcohol abuse are elevated on reservations. The crime rates are eclipsed only by a handful of the most violent cities in America. The movie ends saying that missing persons aren’t tracked in the native communities even though they are compiled for almost every other group. It’s rare that a movie entertains while also bringing to light a sensitive subject without feeling a little like a documentary. 

 

So if you’re looking for a thriller to go see this weekend I highly recommend Wind River. It’s not overly long, clocking in around 107 minutes, so go get yourself a Slurpee and settle in.