My Thoughts on the Film, Wind River (2017), 5/2/2026…

What is it about images of snowy landscapes that evoke a sense of bleakness? Even when dotted with leafless trees and other sparse vegetation, feelings of desolation—even hopelessness—rise to the surface. And what does the addition of a lone figure traversing said elements add to this? Or subtract from it? Is it simply juxtaposition? Or a refreshing feeling of hope? Does this person symbolize faith? Or signify misplaced optimism?

These thoughts still stir around in my brain after watching Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River (2017). Helming such projects as Yellowstone and Hell or High Water (2016), he is no slouch when it comes to exploring themes inherent in the “modern American frontier.” The lone figure within a vast landscape is an image the auteur consistently repaints with style and gravitas.

Jeremy Renner (The Avengers), in a career-defining performance, plays Corey Lambert, a tormented fish and wildlife ranger who hunts down predators that cull local livestock. When he finds the body of a local Indian Reservation teenage girl on a mountainside, FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olson, a fellow Avengers alum, also giving a head-turning portrayal) is called in, since the body was found on what is considered federal land. It is soon revealed that while the girl succumbed to the elements, she had also been subjected to violence and rape before her death.

Sheridan's script is concise yet rich, enabling his actors to fully embody their roles. The film is also beautifully shot, well-paced, and smartly edited. To me, this is a film I’d watch again. If you’ve never heard of Taylor Sheridan, Wind River is a good introduction. I highly recommend it.