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Wind River

Wind River

Nothing is harder to track than the truth.

2017107 minRMidcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Director
Taylor Sheridan
Starring
Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham, Graham Greene

An FBI agent teams with the town's veteran game tracker to investigate a murder that occurred on a Native American reservation.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Wind River?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Wind River streaming on Netflix and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Wind River?

Wind River earns 9 badges, led by Top 5% of films and Universally Loved.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Wind River worth watching?

Wind River's Midcredits score is the 97th percentile of all films, from 722K ratings across 6 sources. 89% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

97th percentile

Better received than 97% of films

97th percentile among Crime97th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)93rd
Approval (how many liked it)97th

76 /100

93rd percentile of all films

95th percentile among Crime93rd percentile among 2010s

Critics 73 · Audience 77

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.8 — people broadly agree on this one.

89% liked it

97th percentile of all films

97th percentile among Crime98th percentile among 2010s
89% rated it 7–1011% rated it 1–6

Critics 87% · Audience 90%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 18 wins / 26 noms overall

99th percentile

721K ratings across platforms

99th percentile among Crime99th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 18% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$11M
Opening weekend$162K
Domestic gross$34M
Worldwide gross$44M

Returned 4.0× its budget — 91st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A slow-burn murder mystery set on a Native American reservation, anchored by strong performances from Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen.

Fans praised

  • gripping murder mystery with a tight, character-driven script
  • strong lead performances from Renner and Olsen, plus a deep native ensemble
  • atmospheric, harshly beautiful Wyoming setting that grounds the story

Detractors panned

  • dialogue often inaudible and over-cooked, feeling unrealistic and pretentious
  • derivative, unoriginal plot that lacks freshness
  • pacing drags in places and the TV-style cinematography undercuts the scale

What stands out

Acting85

Renner and Olsen deliver powerful, grounded performances; native cast adds authenticity

Atmosphere85

Immersive, cold, and bleak tone that enhances the mystery

Tension80

Suspenseful and gripping, with a satisfying build

Characters75

Well-developed, nuanced characters with emotional weight, though some find them contrived

Emotional impact75

Heavy emotional weight carried by character pain and loss

Plot and storyDivisive65

Gripping mystery but criticized as unoriginal and predictable

Pacing60

Slow-burn narrative that builds tension but drags for some

DialogueDivisive45

Often inaudible and over-cooked, with a metaphorical style that divides viewers

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 6 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Wind River like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you devastated. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention and room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseColdMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its material completely straight, treating the story and its characters with solemn gravity; there is no irony or distance, only a cold, brooding sincerity.
The rideThe mood is consistently tense and chilling, with a pervasive sense of cold and loss from start to finish.
StructureThe film unfolds in a straightforward chronological order, from discovery of the body through investigation to the final confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Devastated.

The answer rests on this: Devastating · 3% of filmsInfuriating · 4% of films: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's final title card about missing Native American women leaves a deep, angry sorrow that lasts long after the credits.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Tragedy underneath

Why this archetypeCory and Jane investigate the murder of a young woman on a reservation, uncovering a cover-up by oil-rig security guards who embody the systemic neglect of Native women. The story shifts from solving the crime to delivering violent retribution.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% (this title) · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsGrief · 6% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Mourns its theme: Grieves its theme, or what has been lost of it.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film is driven by the search for justice for a murdered young woman, while also exploring how grief isolates and how a community bears loss together.
StanceThe film mourns the lack of justice for Native women, presenting the systemic neglect as a tragedy that cannot be righted by one investigation.

The world

ContemporaryRuralWildernessDomesticRealistic
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score
Settingthe Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming during a harsh winter
MusicThe score is sparse and mournful, using strings and low drones to underline the cold and grief.

Content guide

Is Wind River okay for kids?

R

Wind River is rated R: “Rated R for strong violence, a rape, disturbing images, and language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (84/100), sexual content at intense (62/100), language at intense (68/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (37/100) and frightening material at severe (87/100). Overall it is heavier than 79% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 20 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland16
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Denmark15
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyR
  • LTN-16
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway15
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/16
  • Russia18+
  • SK12
  • Spain16
  • TH18
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 88% of all filmsHeavier than 79% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 72%
Sex & Nudity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 77%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 52%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 39%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 90%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: frightening material, violence, language, and sexual content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Wind River have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Wind River?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jeremy Renner
as Cory Lambert
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Elizabeth Olsen
as Jane Banner
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Gil Birmingham
as Martin
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Graham Greene
as Ben
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Jon Bernthal
as Matt
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kelsey Asbille
as Natalie
Teo Briones
as Casey
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Tantoo Cardinal
as Alice Crowheart
Matthew Del Negro
as Dillon
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Hugh Dillon
as Curtis

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Wind River?

Movies like Wind River include Hell or High Water (2016), To Catch a Killer (2023) and Imperium (2016). Of the 5 closest matches, two are films written by Taylor Sheridan, and two are westerns.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Wind River?

214 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: neo-western. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.