Hey, Hollywooders! What’s Good in the ‘Wood?
I just got back from seeing Those Who Wish Me Dead, one of the many new movie releases out now in movie theaters.
I took a look at theaters near me to compare movie showtimes and settled on going to the 4 p.m. movie showtime at my local Showcase Cinemas. Today marked my first time back in a movie theater since early 2020 and I had forgotten how much I loved going to the movies. It felt surreal to smell the movie theater popcorn and watch a brand new movie on the big screen.
Those Who Wish Me Dead was directed by Taylor Sheridan and stars Angelina Jolie, Finn Little, Jon Bernthal, Medina Senghore, Nicholas Hoult, Aidan Gillen, and Tyler Perry. The film is based on Michael Koryta’s 2014 novel of the same name.
Experiencing a movie theater for the first time (again)
I chose an earlier move time hoping that there wouldn’t be many people there but was surprised to see that my sister and I were the only ones in the lobby when we walked in. This made our check-in experience and purchase at the concession stand extra speedy.
I usually buy movie tickets at the box office, but this time I bought them online ahead of time. This made my return to the movie theater even smoother, allowing me to simply walk in, have my ticket scanned, and proceed to the theater.
As we made our way to our seats, I was expecting to see some type of barriers in between the individual chairs. Instead, there were two empty chairs on both sides of each group of seats. I liked this setup better than the one I had pictured in my head, as it allowed me to share my thoughts with my sister during the movie (and steal some of her popcorn). We were two of very few audience members in the theater.
Seeing Those Who Wish Me Dead in the movie theater made the film’s actions and sounds much more intense than they would have been had I streamed the film at home. I think the volume and increased sound quality also added to the shock value of some of the movie’s action-packed moments.
Overall, I thought my first time back to the movie theater was very enjoyable and I am excited to go again! If you plan to make your first trip back to the movies soon, take a look at our guide to doing so safely.
My favorite parts of Those Who Wish Me Dead
Without revealing spoilers, Those Who Wish Me Dead is an action thriller that follows Connor (Finn Little) as he seeks help from a wildland firefighter (Angelina Jolie) to escape a life-threatening situation he has found himself in. The film shows the lengths that some people will go to in order to help and protect those they care about.
The film is a story of trust, redemption, loss, and survival. Although Those Who Wish Me Dead was heartbreaking at times, it still had a (somewhat) happy ending.
I loved that when we first met Angelina Jolie’s character, Hannah, she appeared to be sassy and tough, but that later changed as the storyline unfolded. When Hannah met Connor, we saw her open her heart up and show true compassion for him, all while being a courageous leader.
Those Who Wish Me Dead had me on the edge of my seat nearly the entire movie, waiting to see where the story would go next. While there was definitely some mystery to parts of the plot, I was pleased that nothing important was left unresolved.
What fans thought of Those Who Wish Me Dead
With Those Who Wish Me Dead premiering both in movie theaters and on HBO Max on Friday, plenty of people were able to hop online to share their thoughts on the film.
Zach called the film stupendous and encouraged his followers to see it in the movie theater.
Do not sleep on Those Who Wish Me Dead. It’s an excellent action thriller from the always stupendous Taylor Sheridan. See it in a theater! pic.twitter.com/f00uX2Sjcz
— Zach Nix (@zachnix18) May 14, 2021
Matt said that the film’s action and ensemble are what make it stand out.
THOSE WHO WISH ME DEAD is the kind of mid-budget adult thriller that we need more of. Taylor Sheridan’s screenplay may lack the spark of his previous efforts but he makes up for it with brutal action, a larger (burning) canvas & a solid ensemble led by the awesome Angelina Jolie! pic.twitter.com/fbMljUgFmN
— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) May 13, 2021
This Twitter user said that although there are parts of the film they think could have used improvement, it contains strong performances from Angelina Jolie and the rest of the cast.
Those Who Wish Me Dead is another good effort from Taylor Sheridan with a great performance by Angelina Jolie, excellent direction and great solid performances from the rest of the cast, even if it does have a bit of a weak villain and some characters needing more depth. pic.twitter.com/E7zBR1PFj7
— futurefilmmaker39480 Reviews (@ff39480Reviews) May 15, 2021
Film critics were also complimentary of Those Who Wish Me Dead. Decider’s John Serba wrote, “The cinematography is robust, capturing the rustic beauty and danger of the setting, and Sheridan has a good eye for striking imagery…”
Austin Collins from Rolling Stone said, “The satisfactions of Those Who Wish Me Dead are old, movie’s-movie satisfactions. It’s corny in mostly the right ways and surprisingly intricate in its telling, with its sometimes heavy-handed psychological throughways meeting their match in the more sensitive, sturdy details.”
I don’t usually go for action thrillers, but after watching Those Who Wish Me Dead, I’m so glad I did! Whether you plan to head to a theater near you or stream it on HBO Max, I highly recommend seeing this new movie release, but after reading fellow writer Sam’s experience watching it at home, it seems like it’s worth a trip to your local movie theater. Buy movie tickets and view movie showtimes here.
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