European television is in a new wave with their own point of view of crime dramas. TV shows like The Bridge (Bron/Broen) from Sweden, Trapped from Iceland, Wallander from Sweden and the Killing from Denmark. The style is very original, vast terrain, pale colors, with nihilism vibe and dramatic turnaround. It's a significant film style that American TV and cinema had tried to imitate. Not that easy, but possible, only by the hands of independent filmmakers. Back in 1992, a film by Michael Apted Thunderheart starring Val Kilmer about an FBI agent investigating the murder on Sioux reservation is the closest I had seen mimicking the style of Scandinavian TV.
Taylor Sheridan writer of films such as Sicario embarked in the production of a film so impressive and so close to what Europe has done with their TV shows, you can easily compare to a mashup of Thunderheart and Wallander. Wind River is the story of Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) an Indian reservation agent who discovered the frozen body of the 18-year-old girl, who allegedly was raped. FBI sent a rookie Agent Jane Banner ( Elizabeth Olsen) to determine the cause of the homicide. Throughout the investigation, Jane and Cory found so many pitfalls about this murder, as well complications after they fund the body of a naked male, connected the 18-year-old girl.
Director Taylor Sheridan presents a powerful cop drama, where all the main characters are surrounded by snow and vast land where everything could happen. Besides looking a slow pace film, the movie grows momentum until we find who made this brutal murder.
The music by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is superb, the cinematography by Ben Richardson is outstanding and finally, the editing by Gary Roach create the perfect build-up to one of the best films of 2017.