Most fans probably became aware ofTaylor Sheridanwhen he played Deputy Chief David Hale onSons of Anarchy. The high-strung police officer may be his most notable role as he gravitated more towards writing than acting over the past decade. Indeed, Sheridan has his hands in both film and television, having written great stories and directed some as well. Everyone already knows about his wildly successful seriesYellowstone, arguablyone of the best series available on Amazon Prime, but some of his greatest works to date have been his feature films.
Most of his films follow similar themes and embody the same energy. They revolve around western and Midwestern themes of border concerns, issues on Indigenous reservations, and problems faced by low-income households in southwestern states, usually Wyoming or Texas. His genre is a brand that not many writers tackle, and if so, they don’t tackle it accurately, making him one of a kind. His work over the years has made him one of the fastest-rising visionaries of our generation.Sheridan recently signed a deal with ViacomCBSand, as a result, has multiple upcoming Paramount+ original series in the works: fromLand Manstarring Billy Bob ThorntonandLionesswith Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldanato asecond season of the Jeremy Renner-ledMayor of Kingstown. While we wait for his projects to release, here’s a look back at the best movies Taylor Sheridan wrote, ranked.
Related:What We Hope to See in Mayor of Kingstown Season 2
6Without Remorse
While the story in this film wasn’t of Sheridan’s creation,Without Remorseearns a spot on this list because Sheridan was hired to rewrite the script. An adaptation of a Tom Clancy novel, the film follows John Kelly, a US Navy SEAL out for revenge against the Russian assassins who killed his unit members and his pregnant wife. The movie was initially meant to have a wide theatrical release through Paramount Pictures before being acquired and released through Amazon Studios. Additional cast in this action thriller includes Jamie Bell, Guy Pearce, and Jodie Turner-Smith.
Without Remorseearned its name with its grizzly depiction of modern combat, and the film as a whole is well-made. Despite this, the story lacked any nuance or originality to make it anything other than a basic revenge thriller. Despite a good Sheridan spice-up, there wasn’t much that could be done for the film. Indeed, Jordan’s character wasn’t that interesting outside of being a trained killer out for revenge.
5Those Who Wish Me Dead
This Angelina Jolie-led thriller saw Sheridan in his second outing as director.Those Who Wish Me Deadfollows a Montana smoke jumper protecting a child from assassins after he witnesses his father’s murder. The film is grounded in the likeness of a 90s Sylvester Stallone film, likeCoplandandCliffhangerin particular. On one hand, there’s a story of over-the-top villains and fun action with firefighting technology; on the other hand, there’s a tale with a sensitive leading character processing grief. Unfortunately, there is no commitment to either, causing the film to be imbalanced at times.Those Who Wish Me Deadis definitely a fun movie, but it’s not overly goofy enough for it to be a throwback to 90s action or an elevated neo-noir like much of Sheridan’s writing tends to be.
4Sicario: Day of the Soldado
Following characters from the first film, this sequel to the hit Denis Villeneuve film revolves around the escalation of a drug war at the U.S.-Mexico border. Mexican drug cartels are working to smuggle terrorists across the border into the country. To fight them off and stop their operations, CIA agent Matt Graver teams up once again with vengeful mercenary Alejandro to take the fight to the cartels with extreme action and violence.Sicario: Day of the Soldadoditched the slow-building tension that made the previous installment great and opted for a more action-heavy approach after Villanueve’s departure. Compared toWithout Remorse, fans see a film with a more interesting take on the banality of modern combat. Despite being the protagonists, Alejandro and Graver are devious and downright evil in their mission in a land where morality is gray. Perhaps it can be said that this story is a take on using evil to fight evil, a dark concept in American protection that many choose not to look at?
This story by Sheridan possibly falls more closely into the elevated neo-noir category than the others in this list, although that’s a question for fans of his work to debate. It’s debatable how closely to the writer’s vision this film met as Denis Villeneuve dialed back much of Sheridan’s bluntness to craft aclaustrophobic and nauseating aura of suspense. Intense sequences like the opening raid and highway shootout may have been written as straightforward action sequences before being elevated into suspenseful firefights full of paranoia and violence. Emily Blunt’s character was critical toSicario’s success, whereas the sequel was a more thematic experience in the absence of compelling characters. Blunt plays an officer of the law in a place she was never supposed to be, bringing a sense of innocence to a lawless fight without her being fragile.
Related:Sicario 3: Release Date, Cast, Plot and Everything Else We Know
2Wind River
Some of Sheridan’s best storytelling is on display in his first directorial outing inWind River, a story about an FBI agent and a Wildlife Reserve officer trying to solve the murder of a teenage girl on the Wyoming Wind River reservation. It’s a fictional story, but a touch of realism helps ground this 2017 mystery. It’s chock-full of factual information and very real facts about lack of resources and federal attention on Indigenous reservations, issues that are felt daily by those who live there. There’s also an overt message throughout, exploring the issue of Indigenous women being sexually assaulted and killed in reservation communities. Renner gives one of his career-best performances, but Elizabeth Olsen may have been miscast as there’s an apparent discomfort reciting Sheridan’s dialogue. The film may have also done better with an Indigenous perspective.
1Hell or High Water
Taylor Sheridan’s second script to film work sees two brothers, one of whom was just released from prison, robbing banks to pay debts and keep their family farm. It’s not long before they’re pursued by two Texas rangers. All four men find themselves on a path that will change their lives forever.
Hell or High Waterearned four Oscar nominations, including a nomination for best screenplay for Sheridan. The critically acclaimed film stars Chris Pine and Ben Foster as the criminal brother duo and Jeff Bridges and Gil Birmingham as the rangers. Each actor makes their characters compelling in different ways. Much of Sheridan’s works feature pessimistic and unlikable people, but this story was successful in that Sheridan’s writing elicited empathy for everyone, criminal and lawman alike.
