by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Who out there is a fan of Taylor Sheridan? Before that… who is Taylor Sheridan? He began his career as a TV actor with small parts like Walker Texas Ranger and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. He has popped up as the tough guy type in plenty of shows since, but he really made a splash with this screenplay for Sicario. Following this incredible film, audiences were treated to Hell or High Water and Wind River. Sheridan has an incredible knack for created tales centered around the lawless frontiers of America. As someone from New Jersey, these stories capture my imagination of these unique perspectives in the west. Sheridan is one of the best creators of neo-westerns around. As a die hard fan of the western genre, it brings me great joy that someone still brings these ideas and themes to the cinema. Sheridan is one of my favorite filmmakers and when I heard his latest film, Those Who Wish Me Dead, was coming to HBO Max, I was jazzed for another hard-nosed thrilling ride.
With all of these great films to date including a big directorial effort in Wind River, does Sheridan deliver behind the camera?
Compared to some of the scripts directed by others, Those Who Wish Me Dead represents a solid and effective directorial effort. Sheridan is certainly no Denis Villeneuve, but what he does bring is an energy and tough-as-nails approach that matches the stories he tells. There is an energy about this film that delivers a pace with so much momentum that the finale came up with a blink of the eye. When you watch this film, you will certainly see an efficiency that would make Clint Eastwood jealous. There are no wasted moments, with each scene building character, action, or themes. There is a lack of refinement with the direction of the film, but that is not missed too much with a film more concerned with the thrills that it delivers. Sheridan does keep that wild spirit of lawlessness that penetrates all of his works. This film is his biggest film in terms of effects with the scale of the wildfires it has, but the CGI is not the best.
Speaking of the wildfires that engulf the film, where does Those Who Wish Me Dead lie in terms of Sheridan screenplays?
This story certainly captures many of the standard themes and motifs of Sheridan’s works. The film starts in Florida (which felt really odd for one of his films), but soon shifts gears to Montana (much better). That far-off wilderness feels right at home in a Sheridan script where there is not the long arm of the law. We get the more romanticized sheriff and deputy lawmen from a good old western. The story begins with a hit on a family by two assassins who are given just enough detail and relatability to make them work, but are not considerably memorable figures. They chase after a father and son on the run when this son is left alone in the woods. Then our hero comes into the story: a former smoke jumper dealing with PTSD, taking the boy under her wing. Throw in a deputy and his wife and we have ourselves a party! The son carries secrets that his father wanted to take public, and this MacGuffin leads all the interested parties along as they avoid a growing wildfire. What a story! This feels nice and comfortable in the 1990s, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. Sheridan and his two writing partners on the film (one of which is the author of the original novel) deliver a mature and streamlined affair that might be perfect for those thrill seekers who may be tired of the big effects driven nature of the action genre today. Sheridan delivers effective characters and a solid story even if this script is not one of his strongest.
With such a streamlined affair, do the actors add layers to the effective writing they are given?
Angelina Jolie takes the forefront here with her performance that packs a lot of emotion and feeling (even when expressing pain when tending her wounds). Jolie is even able to have some fun with some snarky dialogue and badassery. Our young protagonist is portrayed by Finn Little, who has his moments. His performance definitely has some awkward moments (especially earlier on in the film) but he is not too distracting. Jon Bernthal is more of a charming and low-key character in this one compared to his extremely intense work in most films. He gets to be tender with his onscreen wife (played by Medina Senghore) and vulnerable when faced with dangerous assassins. His character is more honorable than badass, but Bernthal plays it well. Speaking of Senghore, she gets to portray the real MVP of the film, as her character is resourceful and deadly despite being pregnant. She has some great work with our assassins (Nicholas Hoult and Aiden Gillen) including one of the most shocking and thrilling scenes of the whole film. Hoult and Gillen are not the most complex characters, but they have enough relatable writing and chemistry together to make a solid cinematic pair. And kudos to Tyler Perry who pops in for a scene to be intimidating and magnetic.
With all of this being said, is this a worthwhile experience to have in theaters or on HBO Max?
If you are in need of a strong thriller that is entertaining without frills, this one is definitely for you. As an avid fan of Sheridan’s, this one has plenty of what makes his work stand out. Is it his best work? Definitely not. But is it thrilling and entertaining? That is a big yes. This one is definitely worth a watch.
Grade: B-