'Wild Indian' is much more than just an Indigenous film

Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr.’s new picture pushes Indigenous cinema into the realm of the thriller genre, but does it go far enough?

Jason Asenap Feb. 12, 2021

The entertainment industry’s latest reckoning with inequality has made it slightly more willing to acknowledge the talents of Indigenous filmmakers and writers. Indigenous people have always made films for Indigenous audiences, but getting their work into the mainstream comes with the expectation they will translate their experiences for white audiences.

In Wild Indian, Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr. (Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians) largely sidesteps this problem with a straightforward, impressive genre film. His main problem lies in his tendency to overexplain his thriller rather than let it speak for itself. What’s left is a film that, despite a few stumbles, still leaves you feeling riveted — as well as hopeful for what comes next from this burgeoning filmmaker.

Merely the fact that the Sundance Film Festival listed Wild Indian as a thriller represents a big step forward in Indigenous film. Here we have a film that fits itself purely into a genre convention. I just wish Corbine had enough confidence to let the genre speak for itself.

This is Corbine’s first feature film. The 31-year-old, who co-edited the film, has a very bright future in directing and editing. His casting choices are superb. His instincts are good.

More:
https://www.hcn.org/articles/indigenous-affairs-culture-wild-indian-is-much-more-than-just-an-indigenous-film