In Those Who Wish Me Dead, based on the novel of the same name (and by the way, I love that they kept the title), Hannah (Angelina Jolie), a smokejumper (wildland firefighter), manning a firetower out in the Montana wilderness, ends up having to protect the life of young a young Connor (Finn Little) from two professional hit men (Game of Thrones' Aidan Gillen and the X-Men prequels' Nicholas Hoult).
I found this to be a very effective survival thriller. The movie pulls all the right strings when it comes to the action and wondering what the protagonists will have to survive next. The villains are smart and deadly and provide a true threat.
I rather liked the backdrop of the wilderness. Can't remember the last time we've gotten a pure outdoors action film like Cliffhanger. There are a couple of pretty good uses of natural element threats. It did bug me that there was an overuse of digital backgrounds rather than natural scenery.
The characterization is surprisingly good here. It's really easy to root for Hannah. Though Jolie is playing a trope, the hero struggling with a tragic past incident, she plays it really well. However, I did feel that Jon Bernthal's deputy sheriff nver reached full expectations; good character, just wasn't a fan of how he was utilized.
The sociopathic killers, hellbent on completing their mission, are equally frightening and detestable. I mean they are willing to do anything, and I mean anything in order to get the job done. Yet, they are also grotesquely fascinating in their cool, efficient methods and the way they troubleshoot any setbacks.
Be forewarned that this is a darker action film, like the first Jack Reacher. If you're not big on these types of movies going crazy with the blood of the innocent, this may not be for you.
Recommended. This was better than I thought it would be and makes for a suspenseful time.
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