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Gus Van Sant’s Dead Man’s Wire Opens to Praise for Skarsgård and Questions About Its Scope

Reviews say Van Sant’s claustrophobic approach centers the 1977 siege over broader political inquiry.

Overview

  • The film dramatizes Tony Kiritsis’s 63-hour 1977 Indianapolis standoff using a shotgun rigged by a “dead man’s wire,” with demands for $5 million and a public apology.
  • Bill Skarsgård is widely commended for a volatile, unsettling turn, with Dacre Montgomery noted as an effective, empathetic counterpart.
  • Several reviews call the drama tense yet muted and technically assured but limited in ambition, while The Times awards a five-star rave.
  • Al Pacino, Colman Domingo and Myha'la earn notice in supporting roles, with critics citing deliberate echoes of Dog Day Afternoon.
  • Theatrical release begins March 20, as reviewers highlight topical resonance with the Luigi Mangione trial and the use of archival footage in the end credits.