Wander (film)
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''Wander'' is a 2020 American
thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre ...
directed by
April Mullen April Mullen () is a Canadian actress and filmmaker. Career In 2012, Mullen became the first woman to direct a live action, fully stereoscopic 3D feature film, ''Dead Before Dawn'' (2012)''.'' In 2015, she directed the neo-noir grindhouse fe ...
and written by Tim Doiron. It stars
Tommy Lee Jones Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' The ...
,
Aaron Eckhart Aaron Edward Eckhart (born March 12, 1968) is an American actor. Born in Cupertino, California, Eckhart moved to the United Kingdom at an early age. He began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Australia for his hi ...
, Katheryn Winnick,
Heather Graham Heather Joan Graham (born January 29, 1970) is an American actress. After appearing in television commercials, her first starring role in a feature film came with the teen comedy ''License to Drive'' (1988), followed by the critically acclaimed ...
, and Roger Dorman. The story focuses on two
conspiracy theorists A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * * * * The term has a nega ...
and their investigation of a murder. ''Wander'' was released in the United States on December 4, 2020.


Plot

Arthur Bretnik is a mentally unstable
conspiracy theorist A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * * * * The term has a nega ...
and
private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators of ...
whose family was killed in a vehicle accident. Prior to becoming a conspiracy theorist, he was a
detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...
who investigated the unusual death of an individual whose chest appeared to have something explode out of it, and whose body was later stolen from the morgue. Bretnik and his friend Jimmy Cleats host a
podcast A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosing ...
that discusses conspiracy theories. One of the podcast's listeners, Elena Guzman, hires Bretnik to investigate the death of her daughter Zoe in the small town of Wander,
New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
, which she believes was a covered-up murder. When he arrives, he meets Sheriff Luis Santiago and attempts to investigate the incident, but becomes convinced that he is being followed and that the death may be part of the same "conspiracy cover up" that caused the death of his own daughter years prior. Bretnik's suspicions reach their peak when, after believing he is being followed by two men in an old
Jeep Cherokee The Jeep Cherokee is a line of SUVs manufactured and marketed by Jeep over five generations. Originally marketed as a variant of the Jeep Wagoneer, the Cherokee has evolved from a full-size SUV to one of the first compact SUVs and into its curr ...
, he discovers it transporting a woman's body, which it moves into a derelict garage. When Bretnik goes to investigate, he discovers an underground laboratory where people are trapped and implanted with microchips. Cleats arrives to investigate with Bretnik, and they discover that Elena and Zoe's identities are fake and that they are actually Sofia and Martina Lopez, missing persons. The two set out to investigate; before going, Bretnik places an envelope in a mailbox. When Bretnik and Cleats arrive, Sofia attacks Bretnik and claims Cleats is involved before her microchip suddenly explodes, killing her; Cleats claims the "involvement" she mentioned is that he got her to report the death to Bretnik for money, and the two bury Sofia's body in the desert. Bretnik and Cleats then sneak into the garage to record proof of the laboratory and expose it to the public. Meanwhile, Bretnik's lawyer, Shelly Luscomb, discovers Bretnik's empty trailer and determines he has traveled to Wander. As Bretnik and Cleats enter the laboratory, the film cuts forward to show Bretnik being involved in a shootout before being apprehended by
FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...
Agent Nick Cassidy, who arrives with Shelly. Bretnik is questioned, where he explains what happened after he and Cleats arrived at the garage. When Bretnik and Cleats entered the laboratory, Bretnik learned the microchips are being used to control immigrants, minorities, and the lower class. However, the laboratory was attacked by one of the men from the Jeep, and Cleats was shot. Bretnik was saved by a woman named Elsa Viceroy, apparently from the
CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
, and the two met with Sheriff Santiago, who was revealed to also be working against the microchip operation. Elsa and Santiago explained that the victim whose body was stolen from the morgue, as well as Martina, were both embedded with microchips. Bretnik, Elsa, and Santiago planned to assassinate Victor Canton, the inventor of the microchips, who was on a rare visit to Wander. Sheriff Santiago met with the inventor and the men from the Jeep at the garage, while Elsa and Bretnik moved to ambush them. Elsa shot the others, including Sheriff Santiago, before allowing Bretnik to avenge the deaths of his family and Cleats; Bretnik shot Canton multiple times, killing him. Elsa then told Bretnik to wipe the data from the computer inside the garage before leaving. Upon exiting the garage, Bretnik was apprehended by Agent Cassidy. In the present, Shelly informs Bretnik that the medication he takes for his mental trauma causes anxiety and delusions, and tells him that the garage was fully derelict and empty, the morgue he investigated and found bodies in was not in use for years, and that Cleats' decapitated body was found in Bretnik's car. Bretnik, unable to believe whether the events in Wander were true or simply his own delusions, and faced with the possibility that he killed his friend, breaks down. Bretnik is placed in a holding cell awaiting placement in a
mental institution Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...
. He is met in his cell by Elsa and an alive-and-well Cleats. They explain to Bretnik that the entire investigation was part of their plan: Bretnik was being used all along as a way to tie up loose ends. Bretnik's mental state ensured he would continue to investigate and allowed them to pin any blame on the events in Wander on him. In the mental facility, Bretnik barricades himself in his room and digs in his chest with a stolen pen. As he lies on the floor bleeding, he laughs and smiles; in his hand is his own microchip, proving his earlier fears that he had a microchip placed within himself. Meanwhile, the envelope Bretnik mailed earlier is sent to Shelly. Inside the envelope is all of the evidence and photographs Bretnik took of the laboratory, which could allow the conspiracy to be exposed.


Cast

*
Aaron Eckhart Aaron Edward Eckhart (born March 12, 1968) is an American actor. Born in Cupertino, California, Eckhart moved to the United Kingdom at an early age. He began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Australia for his hi ...
as Arthur Bretnik * Katheryn Winnick as Elsa Viceroy *
Heather Graham Heather Joan Graham (born January 29, 1970) is an American actress. After appearing in television commercials, her first starring role in a feature film came with the teen comedy ''License to Drive'' (1988), followed by the critically acclaimed ...
as Shelly Luscomb *
Tommy Lee Jones Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' The ...
as Jimmy Cleats *
Raymond Cruz Raymond Cruz (born July 9, 1961) is an American actor, best known for his starring role as Detective Julio Sanchez in the series '' The Closer'' and its spinoff '' Major Crimes'', as well as his recurring role as drug lord Tuco Salamanca in ...
as Sheriff Luis Santiago *
Brendan Fehr Brendan Jacob Joel Fehr (born October 29, 1977) is a Canadian film and television actor, perhaps best known for portraying Michael Guerin in the WB television series '' Roswell'', and for portraying lab tech Dan Cooper in ''CSI: Miami''. In 20 ...
as Nick Cassidy *Roger Dorman as Leiland Ashgrave *
Nicole Steinwedell Nicole Steinwedell (born April 2, 1981) is an American film and television actress. She is the daughter of two Marines and the granddaughter of an Army colonel. She has three sisters and one brother. She is best known for playing Bridget "Red ...
as Tanya


Production

It was announced in April 2019 that
Aaron Eckhart Aaron Edward Eckhart (born March 12, 1968) is an American actor. Born in Cupertino, California, Eckhart moved to the United Kingdom at an early age. He began his acting career by performing in school plays, before moving to Australia for his hi ...
had been cast to star in the film, which would be directed and co-written by
April Mullen April Mullen () is a Canadian actress and filmmaker. Career In 2012, Mullen became the first woman to direct a live action, fully stereoscopic 3D feature film, ''Dead Before Dawn'' (2012)''.'' In 2015, she directed the neo-noir grindhouse fe ...
. In June, Katheryn Winnick was added to the cast, with
Heather Graham Heather Joan Graham (born January 29, 1970) is an American actress. After appearing in television commercials, her first starring role in a feature film came with the teen comedy ''License to Drive'' (1988), followed by the critically acclaimed ...
joining in July. In August,
Tommy Lee Jones Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' The ...
,
Raymond Cruz Raymond Cruz (born July 9, 1961) is an American actor, best known for his starring role as Detective Julio Sanchez in the series '' The Closer'' and its spinoff '' Major Crimes'', as well as his recurring role as drug lord Tuco Salamanca in ...
and
Brendan Fehr Brendan Jacob Joel Fehr (born October 29, 1977) is a Canadian film and television actor, perhaps best known for portraying Michael Guerin in the WB television series '' Roswell'', and for portraying lab tech Dan Cooper in ''CSI: Miami''. In 20 ...
had been cast. Filming began in July 2019 in Carrizozo and
Ruidoso, New Mexico Ruidoso is a village in Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States, adjacent to the Lincoln National Forest. The population was 8,029 at the 2010 census. The city of Ruidoso Downs and the unincorporated area of Alto are suburbs of Ruidoso, and ...
.


Release

In September 2020,
Saban Films Saban Capital Group LLC is an American investment firm based in Los Angeles, California focused on media, entertainment, and communications investments. Formed in 2010 by Haim Saban, Saban Capital Group owns Saban Films, part of Univision Commun ...
acquired the North American distribution rights to the film. It was released on December 4, 2020.


Reception

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, a
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
, gave the film an approval rating of based on reviews and an average rating of . The critic's consensus reads: "''Wander'' benefits from Aaron Eckhart's strong leading performance, but his efforts aren't enough to support the story's increasingly cuckoo twists and turns."
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
reports a score of 54 out of 100 based on four critic reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Glenn Kenny Glenn Kenny (born August 8, 1959) is an American film critic and journalist. He writes for ''The New York Times'' and '' RogerEbert.com''. Biography Kenny attended William Paterson University, where he majored in English literature.RogerEbert.com compared it negatively to '' Memento'' (2000), saying that it lacks that film's "fully fleshed out story".


References


External links

* {{April Mullen 2020 action thriller films 2020s English-language films American action thriller films Canadian action thriller films English-language Canadian films Films about mental health Films shot in New Mexico 2020s Canadian films 2020s American films