Hey, Hollywooders! What’s Good in the ‘Wood?
There are so many new movie releases out now in both movie theaters and streaming at home. Luckily, for those of us who don’t want to move from our couches, HBO Max has been streaming all their new films the same day they hit theaters. So I decided to get extra comfy and stream Those Who Wish Me Dead on HBO Max.
As a huge fan of the director, Taylor Sheridan, I’ve been counting down the days until the release of Those Who Wish Me Dead. Taylor Sheridan was the writer on many award-winning films including Sicario, starring Emily Blunt, and Hell or High Water, starring Chris Pine. However, in 2017, Taylor Sheridan sat in the director’s chair for the first time Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen led Wind River. In the years since, the actor turned director also created cable’s number one rated show, Yellowstone.
What is Those Who Wish Me Dead about?
Based on Michael Koryta’s novel of the same name, Those Who Wish Me Dead follows a teenage boy (Finn Little) who’s on the run from two assassins (Nicholas Hoult and Aidan Gillen) after they murder his father. While wandering through the Montana forest alone, the teenage boy enlists the help of a smokejumper battling demons of her own (Angelina Jolie). The cast is rounded out by Jon Bernthal, Medina Senghore, and Tyler Perry.
Those Who Wish Me Dead is an action-packed neo-Western thriller and I had a million thoughts racing through my head while watching it.
# 1 This movie was made to be seen in theaters
I’ve watched most of Taylor Sheridan’s movies from my couch so I figured it would be fine to watch Those Who Wish Me Dead from there, as well. Boy, was I wrong.
Before a single image even appeared on screen I was regretting not seeing this flick on the big screen. The film begins with Brian Tyler’s beautiful score over a series of opening credits against a black screen. Although I had my surround sound on and the volume jacked up, I just couldn’t do it justice. The opening score is incredible and demands to be heard on cinema speakers.
The first image to appear on screen was an epic skydiving shot followed by huge set pieces of a raging forest fire. Right off the bat, Ben Richardson’s cinematography blew me away and I wish I could’ve seen it on the biggest screen possible.
There are many films that are designed to be seen on streaming services, think Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, but Those Who Wish Me Dead is not one of them.
#2 Angelina Jolie’s performance is spectacular
I’m just going to come out and say it: Angelina Jolie is an underrated actress. Despite multiple Oscar nominations and even one win back in 2000, the Angelina Jolie hype isn’t high enough. Take this film for example. Regardless of being a relatively low-key film, Angelina Jolie delivers a great performance.
As the film’s lead, Hannah Faber, Angelina Jolie perfectly plays the “haunted hero” archetype. In a role that’s reminiscent of Jodie Foster’s Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs, Angelina Jolie’s Hannah must save the innocent in order to overcome a past that haunts her. Her acting in this movie is the perfect balance of subtly and levity.
#3 This film is filled with Taylor Sheridan regulars
Tons of directors love to collaborate with the same people throughout their careers. Quentin Tarrantino with Samuel L. Jackson, Greta Gerwig with Saoirse Ronan, and Taylor Sheridan are no different.
His most famous collaborator is Jon Bernthal. The actor previously starred in Sicario and Wind River, making this film his third time working on a Taylor Sheridan project.
Additionally, James Jordan played minor roles in Wind River and Yellowstone before appearing as a smokejumper in Those Who Wish Me Dead.
Lastly, the film’s cinematographer Ben Richardson also shot Wind River and Yellowstone.
Those Who Wish Me Dead was a great watch. Buy movie tickets and view movie showtimes for the film here or stream it on HBO Max. Plus, don’t forget to read about Cassandra’s experience watching this new movie release in her local movie theater.
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