Written by: Michael Koryta, Charles Leavitt, Taylor Sheridan
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Finn Little, Nicholas Hoult, Aidan Gillen, Jake Weber, Medina Senghore
Rating: [3/5]
Different landscapes create the opportunity for action to be filmed in unique ways because of the environment utilized and the challenge it sets for the characters at the helm of the story. These backgrounds can make these sequences even more exhilarating with forest fires serving as the environment the characters in Those Who Wish Me Dead need to survive in making for something competent to watch even with its glaring deficiencies.
Working at a fire lookout tower in Park County, Montana, Hannah (Angelina Jolie) witnesses a distressed child running through the forest. When she catches up to him, she learns the endangerment of his life as his father was recently murdered by two assassins. As those two killers seek to find their way to finish off the boy, they must contend with Hannah, who will not go down without a fight.
Existing as a rare breed in the current Hollywood landscape, Those Who Wish Me Dead operates as a mid-budget good ol’ adult thriller in the way it displays its story. One of those star-driven vehicles where folks would run out to watch the film solely because of the lead star. In this feature, we have the glorious return of Angeline Jolie onto the big screen as she takes on the protector role of Hannah as she tries to fend off these assassins while also ensuring the safety of this kid.
As a firefighter observing from up high a the lookout tower, we know things will eventually get fiery in the movie and when it inevitably arrives, it not only ratchets up the tension but also makes for quite the epic environment for this showdown. As the assassins utilize a forest fire to serve as a distraction for the police as they go hunting, the issue they face comes from the reality of them not having control over the fire. These forest fires can spread incredibly quickly and it proves an obstacle for all involved, including those assassins. It forces Hannah to change direction on multiple occasions, as they need to find the proper escape from the fire and the danger they face from these trained killers. The fire becomes an uninterested party amongst the group but ultimately has an immense impact.
Per capita, this feature has quite a percentage of individuals who can more than handle themselves when it comes to a physical altercation. It makes several moments that even surprise as the bullets begin to fly and lines get drawn in the sand. On top of that, you have quite the space in the land for these hunters to find their targets allowing everyone’s expertise to show itself as survival becomes less and less guaranteed, especially with the fire roaring all around them. You even have a pregnant woman unafraid to join the fight and take on these assassins all in support of Hannah.
While this feature excels in creating this hellish scenario and those sequences of violence in the forest it does struggle in its efforts to keep its momentum throughout, allowing for a glance at the failings of the screenplay as a result. The writing trio of this feature includes the director Taylor Sheridan, and the writer of the novel this feature adapts in Micaehl Koryta. Nothing about this feature carries much nuance or another theme it seeks to capture than a straight-up thriller, which certainly has an impact but ultimately feels very unremarkable. It undoubtedly carries some intrigue in how it all gets presented but when analyzing the story as a whole, its basicness makes the feature far too rudimentary as a result where the feature does not necessarily surprise or ultimately majorly impress with the structure of the story in itself.
Set in a cool setting in description only as a forest fire rages on, Those Who Wish Me Dead satisfies as a film we do not receive enough and definitely serves the very purpose it seeks to accomplish. It utilizes the fire in the background for a simple but competently made thriller of a woman trying to outrun the men trying to kill this child. Angelina Jolie comes in hot and delivers a decent performance in her return and receives a nice supporting cast around her. One set to entertain and not make you think in the process as it certainly holds its own merits.
Films with Josh 