“Those Who Wish Me Dead” is a thriller that delivers the thrills.

The action-drama is not only a nail-biter and a seat-gripper, it’s a teeth-clencher. At one point during a particularly tension-filled scene, I clenched my teeth so hard they squeaked.

“Those Who Wish Me Dead” brings Angelina Jolie back to the big screen for an action-thriller in which she portrays Hannah Faber, a woman who works as a firefighter in Montana. She’s in charge of a fire tower. She’s hyper-vigilant for any signs of smoke. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

Hannah is coping with post-traumatic stress syndrome from the loss of a firefighter and three campers in a Montana blaze that she was fighting when the wind took an unexpected shift.

Onto the wilderness road arrives a father, Owen Casserly (Jake Weber), fleeing in his car with his son, Connor (Finn Little), from hired assassins, brothers Jack (Aidan Gillen) and Patrick Blackwell (Nicholas Hoult).

Connor ends up traipsing through the wooded wilderness where Jolie encounters him. The assassins are relentless, as assassins tend to be.

Figuring into the drama is Ethan Sawyer (Jon Bernthal), the local sheriff, and Allison (Medina Senghore), his pregnant wife. The lives and plot lines intersect at the fire tower during a horrific blaze. That’s when the action really heats up.

Actually, the action in “Those Who Wish Me Dead” is hot almost from the start of the film, which often kept me guessing and frequently had me exclaiming out loud during the many intense scenes. Fortunately, seating in the theater was socially-distanced and I had a face mask on, so the shrieks were muffled and I didn’t bother the other movie-goers.

The cinematography and editing in “Those Who Wish Me Dead” pushes all the movie-goer’s buttons. The immersion into the world of firefighting is fascinating> The fires, albeit CGI, are mind-boggling. You can’t help but think of the life-threatening fires that beset the United States’ northwest and west coast.

Angelina Jolie (Oscar recipient, supporting actress, “Girl, Interrupted,” 1999; Oscar nominee, lead actress, “The Changeling,” 2008; “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” 2019; “Maleficent,” 2014; “Salt,” 2010; “The Good Shepherd,” 2006; “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” 2005; “Beyond Borders,” 2003; “Laura Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life,” 2003; “Laura Croft: Tomb Raider,” 2001; “Gone In 60 Seconds,” 2000; “Pushing Tin,” 1999: “Hackers,” 1995) is terrific. She exudes quite confidence and steady charm. The role is physical and Jolie is up to the task.

Jolie has some nice moments joking with the guys, her fellow fire fighters, and some quiet moments akin to a parent and child with Connor. Finn Little is quite good as Connor, exhibiting moments of fright, resentment and resilience in the proper measure.

Memorable in supporting roles are the actors portraying the two assassins, the sheriff and the sheriff’s wife. Tyler Perry has what amounts to a cameo as a mob boss.

Taylor Sheridan (Oscar nominee, best original screenplay, “Hell or High Water,” 2016; screenwriter, “Sicario,” 2015; “Sicario: Day of the Soldado,” 2018; screenwriter, director, “Wind River,” 2017; screenwriter, director TV’s “Yellowstone,” 2018-2021) directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Charles Leavitt (“Warcraft,” 2016; “Seventh Son, ”2014; “Blood Diamond,” 2006) and Michael Koryta, based on the book, “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” written by Koryta.

Sheridan keeps the action moving, provides the requisite thrills and chills, establishes some nice vistas and scene-setters with views of the Montana landscape, and scares the blazes out of us with the huge fire scenes.

Despite its awkward and somewhat irrelevant title, “Those Who Wish Me Dead” can be recommended for fans of action thrillers and for fans of Angela Jolie.

“Those Who Wish Me Dead,”

MPAA rated R (Restricted Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.) for strong violence, and language throughout; Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller: Run time: 1 hr., 40 min. Distributed by New Line Cinema-Warner Bros. Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“Those Who Wish Me Dead” was filmed in New Mexico.

At The Movies:

“Those Who Wish Me Dead” was seen at the AMC Center Valley 16 Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, Upper Saucon Township, with COVID-19 protocol in effect.

Movie Box Office,

May 21 - 23: “Spiral” continued twirling at No. 1, with $4.5 million, on 2,991 screens, $15.8 million two weeks, as “Wrath of Man” stayed in place at No. 2 with $2.9 million, on 3,007 screens; $18.8 million, three weeks, and “Those Who Wish Me Dead” stayed n place at No. 3 with $1.8 million on 3,379 screens, $5.5 million, two weeks.

4. “Raya and the Last Dragon” rose one place, $1.6 million, on 2,375 screens, $48.3 million, 12 weeks. 5 “Godzilla vs. Kong” rose one place, $1.4 million, on 2,552 screens; $96.9 million, eight weeks. 6. “Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train” dropped two places, $1.3 million on 1,800 screens; $44.9 million, five weeks. 7. “Mortal Kombat” stayed in place, $935,000, on 2,386 screens, $41.2 million, four weeks. 8. “Scoob!,” $850,000, on 2,500 screens; 2021 re-release. 9. “Dream Horse,” $844,279, screens number unavailable, opening. 10. ”Finding You” dropped two places, $670,330, on 1,447 screens, $1.9 million, two weeks.

26. “The War with Grandpa,” co-starring Allentown’s Oakes Fegley, dropped two places, $11,954, on 62 screens, $21.2 million, 33 weeks, the longest-running movie in the Top 30. “The Croods: A New Age” is the next longest-running, at 26 weeks.

Box office figures from Box Office Mojo as of May 23 are subject to change.

Unreel,

May 28: Ladies and gentlemen, it’s the Memorial Day weekend. Start your summer movie season, please.

Two of the most delayed and anticipated movies of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shutdown are opening.

“A Quiet Place Part II,”

PG-13: John Krasinski directs Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe, Dean Woodward and himself in the Drama, Science-Fiction Horror sequel.

The Abbott family is back and so are the creatures that hunt by sound. Shhh.

“Cruella,”

PG-13: Craig Gillespie directs Emma Stone, Emma Thompson and Mark Strong in the Comedy. The live action prequel is about the young Cruella de Vil. It’s based on Disney’s 1961 animated film, “One Hundred and One Dalmatians.” Glenn Close played Cruella in the live-action adaptations, “101 Dalmatians” (1996) and “102 Dalmatians” (2000).

“American Traitor: The Trial of Axis Sally,”

R: Michael Polish directs Al Pacino, Meadow Williams, Mitch Pileggi, and Lala Kent in the Drama. Based on a true story, an American woman, Mildred Gillars, dubbed “Axis Sally,” broadcast Nazi propaganda during World War II.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes