Wind River

As this suspenseful murder mystery begins, a terrified Native American teenager is running across the snowy Wyoming tundra. Barefoot and bloody, she eventually stumbles and falls, dying under a full moon. According to Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner), the rugged U.S. Fish & Wildlife Officer who found her as he was tracking a predatory mountain lion, she died of pulmonary trauma, drowning in her own blood, having inhaled too much sub-zero air, which caused her lungs to burst. That's what both he and the coroner tell rookie FBI Agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen), who nevertheless declares her death a homicide because there is conclusive evidence that the Arapaho girl was not only beaten but also raped—and she was obviously fleeing from someone. The girl was the best friend of Cory's daughter, who died three years earlier under similar circumstances. Clues lead them to a nearby oil rig, where the roughnecks are known for violence against women. Filmmaker Taylor Sheridan directs this gritty, intricately structured thriller with subtle sensitivity and pacing finesse, and kudos are owed to cinematographer Ben Richardson, who captures the savage man vs. nature essence of the desolate landscape of the Wind River Indian Reservation. A powerful, action-packed film, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a behind-the-scenes video gallery (10 min.), and deleted scenes (3 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for a compelling thriller.] (S. Granger)