Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)

Those Who Wish Me Dead feels like a lean, old-fashioned thriller made with modern muscle: it wastes no time, keeps the danger close, and uses the Montana wilderness and an encroaching wildfire as more than scenery—they’re a ticking, crackling presence in every scene. Taylor Sheridan directs with propulsive efficiency, staging action that’s clear, tense, and satisfyingly physical, while Angelina Jolie brings a bruised, determined humanity that makes the heroism feel earned rather than posed. The movie’s pleasures are in its craftsmanship: sharp suspense, strong performances, and visuals that turn open space into a trap. Fair warning, it’s intense and often brutal, with strong language and some gory violence, so it’s best for viewers who like their thrills tough, direct, and unflinching.

Those Who Wish Me Dead wants to be a lean, high-stakes wilderness thriller: a kid on the run, Angelina Jolie as a hardened protector, and a wildfire turning everything into a ticking clock. The problem is it often feels like several movies stitched together, with convenient plot turns, familiar beats, and villains who register more as “generic bad guys” than real threats, which drains tension when it should be white-knuckle. If you’re picky about tight plotting, believable decisions, or emotional depth, this may test your patience even as the action ramps up. Still, the Montana setting and fire sequences deliver some solid spectacle, and Jolie brings enough grit to make the ride watchable if you just want a brisk, pulpy survival chase.