Dead Man’s Wire (2026) is directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Austin Kolodney. It stars Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Myha’la, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, Cary Elwes, Kelly Lynch, John Robinson, Todd Gable, Mark Helms, Michael Ashcraft, Neil Mulac, and Daniel R. Hill. The film tells the true story of Tony Kiritsis (Skarsgard), who, in February 1977, entered the offices of Meridian Mortgage Company. Believing he’d been the victim of intentionally predatory loans, Tony takes the company’s president, Richard Hall (Montgomery), hostage with a sawed-off shotgun. However, Tony also rigs this with a “dead man’s wire,’ which attaches the stogun’s trigger directly to Richard’s neck. If Tony is killed/lets go, the shotgun fires. If Richard moves too far, the shotgun fires. As the authorities scramble to save Richard, the highly publicized nature of the event begins to make the public wonder whether Tony is truly some deranged criminal or simply an everyday man forced to take extreme measures in the face of clear injustice. 

As Tony Kiritsis, Bill Skarsgard once again proves to be a consistently compelling lead. He believably balances the character’s blue-collar ingenuity and intellectual simplicity. It’s mostly a fantastic performance, unfortunately hindered only by the actor’s chosen accent. I’ve seen Skarsgård execute believable American accents in the past, but here his voice comes across as overly gruff and tough. This makes it feel forced and inauthentic, which is quite a shame considering that it affects every single scene. 

Myha’la, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, and Cary Elwes all give welcome, though not particularly memorable, supporting turns. The standout, however, is easily Dacre Montgomery as Richard Hall. His subtle emotional performance humanizes the character and allows the audience to empathize with him, but never forgets that although he’s currently the victim, he’s not a particularly moral person. The character’s estranged relationship with his dad (Pacino), who’s the source of Tony’s true beef, is the film’s unexpected heart.

Veteran director Gus Van Sant seems to effortlessly nail his recreation of mid-70s Louisville, but does so in a way that often lacks creativity. For example, Colman Domingo’s cool-cat radio DJ character is one we’ve seen in countless other films set in the decade, while the subplot involving Myha’la’s reporter character is so familiar that I wonder why it’s even included. Granted, neither of these elements is frustrating or necessarily hurts the experience; they just fail to deliver anything fresh. 

Other than sometimes feeling handcuffed by the fact that this is a true story, which makes it somewhat predictable, the story’s conclusion is a nice surprise (if you’re not already familiar with the real events, of course). I can definitely see why this story of a man taking on the system and somewhat succeeding could be uplifting in today’s world. It’s a classic underdog/David vs. Goliath story, but I don’t particularly agree with the decision to assume the viewer is rooting for Tony by the end. I’m not saying Tony should be painted outright as the villain either, but I think these final scenes should’ve maintained the moral ambiguity that permeates the previous 90 percent of the film. Yeah, it’s clear that Tony got screwed, but that doesn’t mean I agree with his decision to start taking people hostage. Not every scenario has a clear moral high ground, especially in real life. It’s pretty clear that neither side is in the right, so why take a stance?

Overall, this is a well-made and timely (but also timeless) underdog story that, unfortunately, fails to leave a lasting impression. Gus Van Sant seems to just go through the basic creative motions when it comes to ‘based on a true story’ filmmaking. Granted, this results in a good-looking, competently made product, but it’s also a tad generic. Its parallels to the modern world are fitting but laughably on-the-nose, leaving the viewer with little to think about as the credits roll. As a simple way to learn about the true events depicted, it’s an easy film to enjoy. If you desire much else, you might leave disappointed. B-