Within less than a decade, Taylor Sheridan has become one of the most powerful storytellers in Hollywood. It’s often remarked upon that the industry tends to ignore the “Middle American” audience that doesn’t feel represented by mainstream studios fairly, yet Sheridan has made a career off of providing the sort of classical content that feels taken from an entirely different generation. His acclaimed dramatic series Yellowstone didn’t just become one of the most popular shows of the decade but sparked a new appreciation for the Western genre that has justified its widespread resurgence.
Although Yellowstone is winding down for its final season, Sheridan has kept himself busy with shows like Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, 1923, and the upcoming series Landman. Yellowstone and the empire it built for Paramount may be Sheridan' most lasting legacy, but he is also a very accomplished screenwriter with several great films on his resume. Navigating between the two mediums can often be a challenge, but Sheridan has been remarkably savvy in choosing where he sends his projects; some stories benefit from the extended running time of a television show, while others work best from being an isolated, standalone film. Every Taylor Sheridan movie is entertaining, even if some have a higher rewatch value.
6 ‘Without Remorse’ (2021)
Directed by Stefano Sollima
Without Remorse feels like the least original of all of Sheridan’s projects as it was based on characters that were not entirely his creation. The film is based on Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan universe and certainly feels like a setup to establish a new action franchise. Without Remorse centers on the black ops agent John Clark (Michael B. Jordan), who stakes out a path of revenge after his wife is killed in a domestic terrorist attack.
Despite some incredible action sequences from director Stefano Sollima, Without Remorse isn’t as cleverly plotted as Sheridan’s other projects. Jordan is certainly an intimidating physical premise, but there isn’t enough there to make him a vulnerable hero. Perhaps the upcoming Rainbow Six spinoff will help cast Without Remorse in a favorable light, but it’s far too downbeat and exploitative to be enjoyed in the same way that Sheridan’s other films are.
Without Remorse
Action
Thriller
War
- Release Date
- April 29, 2021
- Director
- Stefano Sollima
- Cast
- Michael B. Jordan , Jodie Turner-Smith , Jamie Bell , Guy Pearce , Lauren London , Jacob Scipio
- Runtime
- 109
- Writers
- Taylor Sheridan , Will Staples , Tom Clancy
Watch on Amazon
5 ‘Those Who Wish Me Dead’ (2021)
Directed by Taylor Sheridan
Those Who Wish Me Dead marks a step up for Sheridan as a filmmaker, indicating that he can merge different genres to create something that feels like an old-fashioned throwback. While there are many strong neo-Western sensibilities within nearly all of his work, the straightforward getaway storyline in Those Who Wish Me Dead feels like an extended homage to the classic action movies of the 1990s. The film centers on an emotionally distressed firefighter (Angelina Jolie) who is forced to protect an innocent boy after he is targeted by a pair of assassins (Aidan Gillen and Nicholas Hoult).
Surprisingly emotional, Those Who Wish Me Dead examines how loss, depression, and obsession can make people feel isolated, even when they’re in a community that supports them. The film combines some powerful dramatic acting on Jolie’s part with impressive action, which never runs the risk of being too silly. It’s not necessarily the most original or probing of Sheridan’s projects, but Those Who Wish Me Dead is a purely pleasurable throwback that deserves a wider cinematic release.
Those Who Wish Me Dead
R
Thriller
Western
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- Release Date
- May 5, 2021
- Cast
- Nicholas Hoult , Angelina Jolie , Jon Bernthal , Aidan Gillen , Jake Weber , Tyler Perry
- Runtime
- 100 minutes
- Writers
- Michael Koryta , Taylor Sheridan
4 ‘Sicario: Day of the Soldado’ (2021)
Directed by Stefano Sollima
The first sequel of Sheridan’s career is also one of his most subversive projects to date. While the first entry in the series benefits from having an empathetic character in Emily Blunt’s FBI Agent Kate Mercer, Sicario: Day of the Soldado makes the bold choice to focus entirely on the villains. CIA agent Matt Graves (Josh Brolin) and the hitman Alejandro (Benicio del Toro) are trying to take down dangerous drug lords, but they’re also willing to do some pretty terrible things to sow the seeds of conflict.
Sicario: Day of the Soldado does not pull any punches with its violence, as it's a far more action-packed film than its predecessor. That being said, the visual beauty that director Denis Villeneuve and cinematographer Roger Deakins brought to the first film is very much missed, as Sicario: Day of the Soldado feels closer in style to some of Sheridan’s television projects. While slightly underwhelming compared to what came before, Sicario: Day of the Soldado is worth revisiting for those checking out the franchise before the third installment comes out.
Sicario: Day Of The Soldado
R
Thriller
Action
Crime
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
- Release Date
- June 27, 2018
- Cast
- Benicio Del Toro , Josh Brolin , Isabela Merced , Jeffrey Donovan , Catherine Keener , Manuel Garcia-Rulfo
- Runtime
- 122 minutes
- Writers
- Taylor Sheridan
3 ‘Wind River’ (2017)
Directed by Taylor Sheridan
Sheridan’s first film as a director is also one of his most ambitious. Wind River tackles real issues about the systematic murder of Native American women in Alaska. This intense neo-noir focuses on a rookie FBI Agent (Elizabeth Olsen) who teams up with a veteran tracker (Jeremy Renner) to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. What begins as a simple whodunit becomes a much more disturbing exploration of racism and corruption on the frosty frontier.
Wind River works incredibly well as a mystery thriller, particularly due to the surprisingly emotional performance from Renner, who does the best work of his career. The final revelation of the culprit is every bit as shocking as one may expect, as Sheridan was not interested in concluding the film in a conventional manner. It may suffer some minor pacing issues in its second half, but Wind River is a highly rewatchable modern thriller that suggests Sheridan has a bright future ahead of him as a standalone director.
Wind River
R
Drama
Crime
Mystery
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
- Release Date
- August 18, 2017
- Cast
- Elizabeth Olsen , Jeremy Renner , Graham Greene , Kelsey Asbille , Julia Jones , Teo Briones
- Runtime
- 107 minutes
- Studio
- Lionsgate
2 ‘Sicario’ (2015)
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Sicario is one of the most intense thrillers of the 2010s, as it perfectly combines Sheridan’s interest in neo-Western storytelling with Villeneuve’s aptitude for creating prolonged moments of tension. Sicario is often a challenging film to watch, and not just because of the violence, but because it questions the corruptive nature of institutions and suggests that, sometimes, conspiracies are the only way to achieve justice. The film ends on a footnote so cynical that it would’ve felt cheap if Sheridan had written it differently.
While the action is some of the best in recent memory, Sicario features some of the strongest character writing out of any Sheridan project. Blunt, Del Toro, and Brolin all give fully fleshed-out performances, even if the film only grants a little bit of time to detailing their backstory. Furthermore, the setting and bleak tone guarantee a truly riveting viewing experience that is daunting but rewarding. Sicario is a film so finely crafted that it's impossible to look away from and only appears to be more impressive upon subsequent viewings.
Sicario
R
Action
Crime
Drama
Thriller
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- October 2, 2015
- Cast
- Emily Blunt , Benicio Del Toro , Josh Brolin , Victor Garber , Jon Bernthal , Daniel Kaluuya
- Runtime
- 121 Minutes
- Writers
- Taylor Sheridan
1 ‘Hell or High Water’ (2015)
Directed by David Mackenzie
Hell or High Water is the most well-rounded film that Sheridan has written thus far, combining great family drama, political satire, heist movie shenanigans, and existentialist themes into a timely critique of capitalism. Set in modern Texas, the film focuses on the outlaw brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner (Ben Foster) as they rob a series of banks to save their mother’s home, which may provide them with a financial future. Meanwhile, a grizzled Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) on the verge of retirement remains hot on their trail.
Despite the simple setup, Hell or High Water takes some surprising twists and turns as it analyzes Texan culture and the way that the financial crisis took advantage of the weakest members of each community. Hell or High Water exposes the inherently predatory nature of investment banks, turning the heroes into modern-day Robin Hood figures. Sheridan’s real strength is dialogue, and there’s plenty of dark humor throughout that makes it even more entertaining. Hell or High Water quickly became the most acclaimed film of Sheridan’s career, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The film shows Sheridan's writing's dexterity; while catered to an audience that is predisposed to enjoying neo-Western content, there’s enough broad appeal to reach a wider set of viewers. The great humor, exciting twists, and unforgettable characters make Hell or High Water Sheridan's most kinetic and entertaining film thus far.
Hell or High Water
R
Crime
Thriller
Western
Where to Watch
*Availability in US
- stream
- rent
- buy
- Release Date
- August 12, 2016
- Cast
- Chris Pine , Jeff Bridges , Ben Foster , Katy Mixon , Dale Dickey , Kevin Rankin
- Runtime
- 102 minutes
- Writers
- Taylor Sheridan
NEXT: Every Jack Ryan Movie, Ranked By Rewatchability
