Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021) – Movie Review

13th May 2021 Written by Peter Walkden

• Mail
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Spotify
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Link

Hannah (Angelina Jolie) is a firefighter with a tragedy filled past. After making a call that cost the lives of innocent people, Hannah is transferred to the local fire tower to watch over the community and local bushland for any threats. Hannah generally lacks motivation in life and is rebellious despite her new position and job.  But while on duty, she finds a young teenager named Connor (Finn Little) on the loose, covered in blood. She learns the young boy is being hunted by a pair of professional assassins (played by Jake Gillian & Nicholas Hoult) as the boy is, in fact, a witness to the horrible murder of his father. Now Hannah and Connor must work together to fight off the two assassins and tackle the wilderness, massive thunderstorms and a blazing fire that threatens to destroy everything in its path. While Hannah and Connor attempt to survive the chaos, the local sheriff (Jon Bernthal) conduct his investigations.

Those Who Wish Me Dead is a thriller with different moments of suspense and action.  Call me crazy, but this movie seems to scream and shout ’90s vibes, which is not necessarily a bad thing.  The film is never predictable in its moments of action and plot, especially with the film’s last act. Thanks to the leading villain’s tremendous performances, I was seriously concerned about who would live and die as we witness the pair of killers violently murdering anyone who stands in their way or slows them down from completing their mission. The chemistry between actors Angelina Jolie and Finn Little is also a major standout and watching these two learn to trust each other felt real and genuine.

While the plot is enjoyable, I can’t deny that it certainly takes a lot longer than I expected to get underway. Some subplots are introduced, which sometimes feel more of a coincidence and an inconvenience to the viewer. The film’s first hour felt more like a plot setup before a final and fun showdown. The audio track was stunning and delivered a large smile to my face- the sounds of fire blazing, thunder striking, and the gunfire never disappointed me. For the most part, the soundtrack is ok, but sadly not as memorable or outstanding as I hoped for.

Overall, this film reminded me of films from the ’90s- a pleasing thriller with moments of action and suspense.  It is never predictable and delivers several great characters, especially the villains, who are ruthless from start to finish. The chemistry between Angelina Jolie and Finn Little is a major highlight, and I found myself quite invested.  The film’s major drawback is the lengthy time it takes to get underway, along with a pleasing but forgettable soundtrack.

6.6/10

Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021) is Now Available on Blu-ray & DVD!

PODCASTS FROM WALKDEN ENTERTAINMENT ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON MANY PLATFORMS INCLUDING APPLE ITUNES & SPOTIFY!

Thank You For Visiting!