ZDF Monday cinema: Angelina Jolie in the gripping thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead

ZDF Monday cinema: Angelina Jolie in the gripping thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead

On June 16, 2025, ZDF will show the German premiere of the US thriller “They Want Me Dead,” originally known as “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” at 10:15 p.m. Directed by Taylor Sheridan, who also wrote the screenplay in collaboration with Michael Koryta and Charles Leavitt. The story follows firefighter Hannah Faber, portrayed by Angelina Jolie, who is confronted with the traumatic consequences of a mission in which three boys died.

This German free-TV premiere comes after the film's first appearance in August 2024 on ProSieben, where it was broadcast with commercial breaks. In "Those Who Wish Me Dead," Hannah steps up her efforts when 12-year-old Connor Casserly, played by Finn Little, escapes from hitmen working for mafia boss Arthur Phillip (Tyler Perry). These tell a story about persecution, guilt and the will to survive.

The plot in detail

Hannah meets the frightened Connor in her watchtower in Montana after the killers - Jack Blackwell (Aidan Gillen) and Patrick Blackwell (Nicholas Hoult) - kill Connor's father Owen (Jake Weber). Owen, a forensic accountant, had incriminating material against Phillip, which he gave to Connor before his death. Connor's plan to escape to his sister Allison (Medina Senghore) ends abruptly when the Blackwells start a forest fire to force them to come out of hiding. The situation escalates when a thunderstorm destroys Hannah's technical equipment in the watchtower.

Hannah and Connor have to fight for their survival. The suspenseful plot shows how they try to survive the impending danger in the midst of fire and despair. The film is based on Koryta's novel Those Who Wish Me Dead and filming took place in New Mexico. Although the film received international reviews, its financial success was mixed. In total, it grossed approximately $23 million worldwide and was known for having the second lowest-grossing opening weekend of all time in theaters with over 3,000 showings.

The reception of “Those Who Wish Me Dead”

With an average of 63% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and a majority average rating of 59 points on Metacritic, the film's reception has been mixed. Viewers gave the film an overall “B”. Despite the mixed reviews, the film managed to reach 1.2 million households, particularly in the first week of its release on HBO Max, and was streamed over 3 million times worldwide in its first 30 days.

In addition to Jolie and Little, the film's impressive cast also includes Jon Bernthal and Medina Senghore. The story, which offers viewers a gripping combination of action and emotional conflict, is enhanced by the performances of the entire cast. It remains to be seen how the audience will react to the German premiere.

Further information can be found on the website of Hit checker and Wikipedia to find.