Written by Alexander Reams
78/100
Taylor Sheridan has already had a good year with his screenplay for Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse already released and now his second directorial effort is here. While this film has drawn criticism for being predictable, I have found that is because this film is vastly different from his previous film Wind River. Those Who Wish Me Dead is based on the novel by Michael Koryta and stars Angelina Jolie, Aidan Gillen, Nicholas Hoult, and Jon Bernthal. It tracks Jolie as she protects a teenager from assassins attempting to kill him after he witnesses a murder.
The story is very predictable. We’ve seen vast reiterations of these same tropes and character events throughout the years. What sets this film apart from these other iterations is the style that Sheridan brings with his direction. His sense of how to block scenes and where to place the camera is nothing short of brilliant, especially in a scene towards the end.
Despite these negatives, the performances of Angelina Jolie, Nicholas Hoult, Aidan Gillen, Jon Bernthal, and relative newcomer Finn Little all make this well worth a watch. Along with a smart screenplay from Sheridan, Charles Leavitt, and Michael Koryta (based on his novel) and possibly Brian Tyler’s best score yet all make this film a highly enjoyable thriller that you just don’t see much of anymore.
Those Who Wish Me Dead Trailer
Those Who Wish Me Dead is currently streaming on HBO Max.
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