Excitement arrives on multiple fronts as forest firefighter Hannah Faber (Angelina Jolie) fights to save the life of a young boy, Connor Casserly (played by Brisbane lad Finn Little). To succeed she must overcome feelings of loss from a fire gone horrible wrong, agents from a dark source that intend harm to Connor, and a new conflagration that threatens everyone and everything.
Cast somewhat against type, Angelina Jolie is one of the boys as part of a rough around the edges gang of firefighters plying their trade in the open forests of Wyoming. She is struggling to recover from a traumatic experience that led to fatalities on her watch. Her misjudgment of that event has sent her on a suicidal spiral. Her disconnection is at the heart of the story.
Into her damaged life comes Connor, who is on the run from dark forces who mean him grievous harm. His forensic accountant father had discovered evil doings and this forces father and son to flee their normal life. The crime the sets this all into motion is never fully explained, nor the origination behind the agents that are pursuing them. This gives the film a vague feeling at its core.
Those Who Wish Me Dead is intended as a character study and relies on the chemistry between Jolie and Little and the visual intensity of the extraordinary threat of forest fires to keep the viewer engaged. It does this well as long as you do not approach it analytically. There are more than a few moments of disbelief but that aside it moves quickly and packs a decent punch in its 100 minute running time.
Rob Hudson
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