Why is the setting important?

The harsh winter landscape is a character itself. It kills the unprepared and hides the truth, symbolizing the indifference of the world to the victims' suffering.

What is the 'Why' behind the murder?

There is no grand motive, just boredom and drunken violence. This banality makes the crime even more tragic and infuriating.

What does the 'death face' paint mean?

It is a reclaiming of heritage. Lambert paints the death mask to honor the victim's culture, giving her the dignity in death she was denied in life.

Is it based on a true story?

While fictional, it is inspired by thousands of actual cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women, highlighting a real-world legal crisis.

Wind River (2017) - Best Thriller Movies

Name: Wind River
Director: Taylor Sheridan
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama
Released: 2017
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Graham Greene

Trailer in 4s

Why This Thriller is Special

Suspense Index: 89/100

A deeply affecting and white-knuckle murder mystery set against the brutally beautiful backdrop of the isolated Wind River Indian Reservation.

Wind River

2017•Taylor Sheridan•120 min•R

The Experience

A U.S. Fish and Wildlife service agent (Jeremy Renner), deeply connected to the local Native American community, discovers the body of a young woman on the isolated, snow-covered Wind River Reservation. He teams up with a rookie FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) to solve the murder. This film is a stark, beautifully bleak, and emotionally devastating mystery that shines a necessary light on systemic violence and justice for the forgotten.

Cast & Crew

Director: Taylor Sheridan

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Graham Greene

Production Details

Budget: $11 million

Box Office: $45.2 million

Age Rating:R

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SUSPENSE INTENSITY SCORE

SUSPENSE INDEX

7.7

IMDB RATING

SUSPENSE INTENSITY LEVELHIGH

Sophisticated cinematic storytelling with advanced non-linear elements.

Content Advisory

Contains: Mature Content

1:12:05 → 1:12:10

💋

Kissing

Mild

1:17:50 → 1:18:20

🔞

Sex

Moderate

Viewer Discretion Advised

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INTENSITY GRAPH
Intensity Graph
Shows plot intensity
throughout the movie. Higher peaks
indicate more intense moments.

Narrative Analysis

Body Found(33%)

FBI Arrival(58%)

Flashbacks(74%)

Cabin Showdown(81%)

Closing(89%)

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CINEMATIC DNA
Genre DNA Breakdown
Visual representation of the movie's
genre composition. Larger segments
indicate dominant genre elements.

Genre Analysis

Crime

45%

Thriller

40%

Drama

15%

Community Reviews

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Frequently Asked Questions About Wind RiverFAQ About Wind River

Deep dive into Wind River with insider knowledge, production details, and insights about this intense thriller.

What is the story of Wind River?

A wildlife tracker and a rookie FBI agent investigate a murder on a remote Native American reservation.

Who helmed this film?

Taylor Sheridan directs with detailed knowledge of both forensic investigation and the region’s vast, icy wilderness.

Which themes does it explore?

Themes of loss, isolation, systemic neglect, and indigenous justice are at the film’s heart.

Is it based on true events?

While fictional, the film draws attention to real unsolved crimes and missing women in Native communities.

What is the visual style?

Expansive snowscapes and subtle color contrast set its tone of beauty and brutality.

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Curated by Filmiway Editorial Team

Expert analysis of thriller cinema

Wind River (2017) - Best Thriller Movies | Filmiway