Those Who Wish Me Dead

Those Who Wish Me Dead is a 2021 American survival action thriller movie that draws its power not just from its intense chase-and-escape sequences but also from the depths of its complex characters. It's directed by Taylor Sheridan, who sharpened his filmmaking skills as a writer on films such as Sicario and Hell or High Water and as the creator of the TV series Yellowstone. This is Sheridan’s third directorial feature following Wind River, and he co-wrote the screenplay with Michael Koryta and Charles Leavitt, based on Koryta's 2014 novel of the same name.

The crime thriller star cast doesn't disappoint, beginning with the radiant Angelina Jolie playing the lead role of Hannah Faber. Jolie's presence is the perfect fit for this adrenaline-pumping thriller, bringing to life the multi-faceted persona of Hannah, a seasoned smoke jumper with a harrowing past.

Hannah’s struggles are instinctively connected to the Montana wilderness, where she works as a firefighter. She's haunted by a fire from her past where she failed to save three lives. This tragedy pulls her into a shell, battling PTSD and guilt, making her a uniquely interesting and complex character in an action-thriller setting. When she's deputed to a solitary fire lookout tower, she finds herself facing a different kind of challenge that forces her to uncover her skills and resilience.

A parallel storyline revolves around 12-year-old Connor Casserly, authentically portrayed by up-and-coming Australian actor Finn Little with the right shot of vulnerability and bravery. Connor is on the run after tragic circumstances leave him with a crucial piece of information that certain parties are desperate to eradicate. His father, sensing imminent danger, instructs him to find Hannah Faber, an old colleague, if anything happens to him.

Meanwhile, two chilling assassins, played by accomplished actors Nicholas Hoult and Aiden Gillen, known for his role in Game of Thrones, will stop at nothing to locate and terminate Connor. Hoult and Gillen deliver performances marked by ruthless yet humanized faces of evil. Jon Bernthal, known for his role as Shane Walsh in The Walking Dead, appears in a significant supporting role as a police officer with old ties to Hannah.

The forest fires that backdrop the thriller lend themselves not only as humbling reminders of Mother Nature's supremacy but also enable a metaphorical representation of the characters' inner turbulence. The cinematography by Ben Richardson is commendable, capturing the vastness and depth of the wilderness to increase the movie's dramatic tension. The engaging score by Brian Tyler amplifies the clash between man and nature, leaving the audience with an experience that screams high stakes.

While the narrative flow is straightforward, the movie doesn't compromise on its emotional context and the human aspect of survival. It effectively keeps the audience hooked by its non-linear storytelling that gradually peels back layers of each role, interspersed with nerve-wracking chase scenes and heart-stopping dramatic curves.

Overall, Those Who Wish Me Dead revives the genre of wilderness survival thrillers, reminding viewers not to underestimate the immense power of nature. From being an action-packed ride to showcasing the depths of humanity’s ability to survive and protect, the movie excels in various ways. It encapsulates raw human emotions and intricacies, delivering a thrilling and involving journey through a rugged and dangerous landscape where the characters have to fight and survive against both human threats and oversized natural disasters.