Film Review: ‘Dead Man’s Wire’ is an Offbeat Yet Old-Fashioned Period Crime Thriller

Once upon a time, Hollywood knew how to make a thriller. Conspiracy thrillers, crime thrillers, political thrillers, studios put out top tier efforts of all stripes. Now? Not so much. To see one of these on the big screen is a rare occurrence. So, the fact that Dead Man’s Wire not just exists, but is good, really does hammer home how much the genre is missed. Having played the festival circuit in late 2025, the film is now hitting theaters here in early 2026, and while it’s a modern work (albeit a period piece), there’s an undeniable throwback quality to it as well.

Dead Man’s Wire isn’t necessarily what you would call fun, but it does have an off-beat nature and a messiness that harkens back to a different era of filmmaking. You always feel like you’re watching ordinary people in an extraordinary circumstance. The movie allows them to have unusual edges to them, in a way that filmmakers rarely would attempt these days. The result is that, even when characters are staying relatively still, your heart can still race and your pulse can pound.

This is a dramatization of a real life hostage situation. On February 8th, 1977, Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård) walked into the office of Richard Hall (Dacre Montgomery), the president of Meridian Mortgage Company, and took him hostage when M.L. Hall (Al Pacino) was out on vacation. Armed with a sawed-off shotgun that was wired with a “dead man’s wire” from the trigger to Tony’s own neck, he sought justice for what he alleged were improprieties against him by the company. Namely, Tony claims that his mortgage broker had sabotaged a real estate investment of his. He wants an apology from Richard’s father, the founder of Meridian, and to have his wrongs righted. He’s not shy about it, either, letting the police know what he’s up to every step of the way. When M.L. is less than accommodating, things escalate and intensify.

As the standoff continues, Fred Temple (Colman Domingo), a local radio DJ known as “the voice of Indianapolis” is drawn into things as he learns Tony is a big fan of his. Their radio interview turns the hostage taker into somewhat of a public hero, as plenty of regular folks are siding with the man driven to the edge, at least against a mortgage company. The angry young man raging against the elder Hall resonates, which complicates things for law enforcement, who want nothing more than for this standoff to come to an end, regardless of if Tony makes it out alive or not.

The cast is uniformly good, all giving strong color to their roles. Bill Skarsgård has arguably never been better, playing up both the sense of humor that Tony has, the improvisational aspect of his crime, and the righteous anger he has at being the latest in a long line of little guys having a boot on his neck. You never support what Tony is doing, but as played by Skarsgård, you always understand him. Dacre Montgomery is quietly moving, even as his character never fully becomes likable, while it’s a pleasure to see Al Pacino go up against Skarsgård, even on the phone. The other highlight is Colman Domingo, perfectly cast as the radio man, utilizing his charisma, his voice, and his ability to command your attention without even speaking. Supporting players here include Myha’la, Cary Elwes, and more, though this is ultimately Skarsgård’s show.

Director Gus Van Sant is relishing the opportunity to make a thriller from a bygone era here. Screenwriter Austin Kolodney provides a no-nonsense skeleton that Van Sant makes dance. He’s not shy about his period influences, though he never appears to be aping legends Sidney Lumet, Alan J. Pakula, and Sydney Pollack, but rather making this a loving homage. His control of pacing and tone, combined with the material provided to the cast by Kolodney, make this a flick that just flies by.

Dead Man’s Wire is an effective throwback that still has more than its fair share of personality to display. The best thing Gus Van Sant has done in some time, the movie is a real winner, one destined to find fans for a long time to come. Hollywood, take heed of this. The crime thriller, when done correctly like this, is alive and well!

SCORE: ★★★