'Dead Man’s Wire' Review: Gus Van Sant Turns a 1977 Hostage Crisis Into a Fierce Modern True Crime Story

⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Dead Man's Wire

Directed by Gus Van Sant

Written by Austin Kolodny

Starring Bill Skarsgard, Dacre Montgomery, Al Pacino, Colman Domingo, Cary Elwes

Release Date January 6th, 2026

The infamous 1982 documentary The Killing of America includes footage so surreal it borders on the absurd: Tony Kiritsis, holding a literal dead man’s wire around the throat of his hostage, Richard Hall, while cheerfully delivering a live press conference. It is one of the most chilling examples of American violence captured on camera.

Given the inherent drama and strange humanity in that moment, it’s no surprise that Hollywood has finally turned Kiritsis’ story into a film. With Dead Man’s Wire, Gus Van Sant brings this bizarre, devastating true crime tragedy into sharp, modern focus.

The Desperation Behind the Wire

Bill Skarsgård stars as Tony Kiritsis, a man whose pursuit of the American dream collapses into rage. After buying land through a loan company owned by millionaire investor M.L. Hall (Al Pacino), Tony believes Hall sabotaged his attempts to sell the property. When he defaults, Hall seizes the land for himself.

Tony feels cheated. More importantly, he can prove it—developer testimony, timing, behavior. In his mind, he has the receipts. And so he hatches a reckless plan to force an apology: take Hall hostage with a “dead man’s wire,” a shotgun rigged to fire if the hostage tries to flee.

Only nothing goes right. The receptionist isn’t the one Tony expected. Hall is out of town. And so, in a moment of panicked improvisation, Tony kidnaps Hall’s son, Richard (Dacre Montgomery), instead—setting off a media frenzy and one of the most infamous hostage standoffs in U.S. history.

A 1977 Story With 2026 Relevance

Despite taking place nearly 50 years ago, Dead Man’s Wire feels eerily of-the-moment. Van Sant leans into the story’s themes: a working-class man screwed over by a wealthy corporation, an economy tilted to benefit those who already own everything, and a public angry enough to understand—even if they don’t condone—Tony’s desperation.

Ask Americans today if the system feels rigged, and the consensus is overwhelming. Tony Kiritsis becomes an uncomfortable mirror, a man pushed until he breaks in a way most people never would, but many deeply empathize with.

Skarsgård plays Tony as someone who tries to stay reasonable long after reason has abandoned him. His performance balances wounded pride, fury, and a strange sort of charisma that keeps you watching even as his actions become indefensible.

Van Sant Finds the Humanity—and the Horror

Gus Van Sant hasn’t always been consistent, but when he connects with material, he delivers something no one else would attempt. Dead Man’s Wire is one of those films. His direction here is sharp and energized, blending true-crime luridness with empathy, dark humor, and righteous anger.

Al Pacino is perfectly cast as M.L. Hall—the slippery, smiling embodiment of corporate cruelty. Cary Elwes shines as a detective who knows Tony personally and sees the tragedy unfolding in real time. Colman Domingo, as a local radio DJ drawn into the spectacle, brings nuance to a character who sees both a breaking news opportunity and the pain at the heart of it.

Van Sant’s pacing is brisk, the tension unrelenting, but he gives the characters room to breathe, contradict themselves, and reveal their complicated truths.

A Raw, Riveting American Nightmare

Dead Man’s Wire succeeds because it understands the tragedy beneath the circus. Tony Kiritsis is not a hero—he’s a man who crossed every line—but he is also the product of a system that pushed him to the brink. Van Sant and Skarsgård refuse to simplify him, portraying a flawed, furious man undone by forces bigger than himself.

This is edgy, explosive filmmaking—part true-crime thriller, part American tragedy, and one of Van Sant’s strongest works in years. He takes big swings, trusts the audience to wrestle with ambiguity, and makes a film that lingers long after the credits.

In a time when economic frustration shapes nearly every news cycle, Dead Man’s Wire lands with startling power. It’s a story from 1977, but it speaks directly to 2025-26.

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