Those Who Wish Me Dead

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Those Who Wish Me Dead is available in Australia on Netflix, and in the UK on HBO Max Amazon Channel right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 1,871 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Angelina Jolie's performance alone is worth the time investment. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

Those Who Wish Me Dead arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. At its heart, Those Who Wish Me Dead understands what makes crime drama work — character first, plot second. A young boy finds himself pursued by two assassins in the Montana wilderness, with a survival expert determined to protect him, and a forest fire threatening to consume them all. Credit to Angelina Jolie and Finn Little for grounding it — this is a cast that earns the twists. It hit screens in 2021. What makes Those Who Wish Me Dead hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Those Who Wish Me Dead. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Watch Angelina Jolie work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.