Taylor Sheridan returns with another neo-western thriller. The adrenaline from engulfed flames on one end, and ruthless killers on the other will have you on the edge of your SEAT.
Those Who Wish Me Dead is directed by Taylor Sheridan and stars an incredible cast featuring Angelina Jolie, Finn Little, Nicholas Hoult, Aiden Gillen, Jon Bernthal, and Tyler Perry.
The story follows a teenage witness pursued by assassin’s in the Montana wilderness. He runs into a survival expert who most protect him from both a deadly forest fire and the killers after him. And when this is a thriller, boy is it thrilling.
What Works
Those Who Wish Me Dead had a stellar cast and they delivered. Angelina Jolie’s sadness and sorrow can be felt through the screen as she mourns what happened in her past. The energy placed into this performance came from a personal place as she channeled it from the issues she’s currently facing. Jon Bernthal gets the screen time he deserves and he DEMANDS that camera presence! The man knows how to elevate incredibly, while still maintaining a great spirit to his character.
Nicholas Hoult and Aidan Gillen are incredible as well. These rugged assassin’s put on a suit and tie and go to great lengths to complete their mission. The two of them play off one another well, as Aidan Gillen’s character directs Nicholas Hoult’s. These two were vicious and would stop at nothing to murder the boy, including getting within walk distance of a raging fire.
Speaking of fire, the nature itself was beautiful. The movie was shot in gorgeous locations with a fire that made the ride all the more tense. It was shot beautifully and the swap between the grey-ish blue color to the crimson and orange later in the film was well executed.
The 90s style thriller energy was astounding. The aesthetic, the suit and tie getups, the color palette all reminded me of that era. The story isn’t the same, but I was getting strong Se7en vibes. This movie had you on the edge of your seat when the fire was hot, when Hoult and Gillen’s characters were closing in, when interrogations happened. When it was in the thriller setting, it was thrilling, and it’s paired with a score that can have your heart racing.
What Doesn’t Work
Unfortunately while Those Who Wish Me Dead has a stellar setting, great actors, and exciting thrills, the story feels generic. There aren’t a lot of twist and turns that defy expectations — it’s predictable from the start and lacks originality.
Another thing that doesn’t quite cut it is the characters. While I love the actors themselves and the performances they give, the characters aren’t too developed and we don’t get a lot of backstory on them. Some of the characters outside of the central plot are completely unnecessary, but I won’t name names.
Those That Wish Me Dead is a thrilling movie that will have you biting your nails during the highest moments of the movie, but the generic story and one-note characters drag this thriller down a little.
Those Who Wish Me Dead: 8/10
Those Who Wish Me Dead is NOW STREAMING in theaters. Will you be watching?! As always let us know your thoughts in the comments below!