Short Summary is an original series in which I write brief reviews of movies, TV shows, video games, books, and more. Spoiler alert, just in case!

There are certain movies out there that you don’t necessarily “enjoy” because of their dark and gut-wrenching subject matter. It’s difficult to like a movie that revolves around rape and death and reflects many heartbreaking realities for Native American people.

But such a movie, like Wind River, is no less excellent. The subject matter tackled in this movie is as brutal as its wintry setting. Yet with powerful messages, some subtle and some not, you can come away from Wind River feeling emotionally impacted and aware without being preached to. I enjoyed the movie in that respect, at least.

I think that Wind River is a very well-made film all around. Taylor Sheridan’s projects all seem to have that in common so far; he previously wrote the scripts for both Sicario and Hell or High Water. He pulls double duty for Wind River, writing the script and also directing the film. Compared to the other two, this film’s script is a bit more on-the-nose; however, it’s still fantastic writing nonetheless. The other two are directed by Denis Villeneuve and David Mackenzie, respectively, and they are much more experienced directors. For Sheridan’s directorial debut, though, Wind River is by no means a poorly-shot film. Sicario and Hell or High Water were each highlights of the past few years, and Wind River is definitely a highlight of 2017.

The cinematography is probably the greatest strength of this movie, with the snowy and bitterly cold areas of Utah lending themselves to the harsh circumstances depicted. The plot of the movie is kept fairly simple and almost has a police procedural feel to it. Wind River is still a crime thriller, but one that builds and builds, focusing on the slower scenes and only having two shootouts in the whole movie. The score is haunting and gorgeous, helmed by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. They worked on the soundtracks for Hell or High Water as well as The Road and Lawless several years ago. “Three Seasons in Wyoming” and “Snow Wolf” are the finest pieces from Wind River.

As for the acting, Jeremy Renner has his best role to date. He squints and speaks softly as Cory Lambert, playing the character much like a modern-day gunslinger out West. Elizabeth Olsen plays Jane Banner, the audience’s point-of-view character and resident fish out of water, doing so with a no-nonsense attitude. These two actors continue to have wonderful chemistry, so they work well together. Wind River also includes Gil Birmingham and Graham Greene in their best roles, although Graham Greene has many.

I didn’t expect Wind River to be as beautiful as it is. I’ve been meaning to watch it, and I wasn’t disappointed for a moment.