The Windigo

Film: The Windigo

Year: 2024

Directors: Gabe Torres

Writers: Brent Jordan

Starring: Marco Fuller, Fivel Stewart and Tonantzin Carmelo

Review:

This was a movie that I got the chance to see thanks to Katy from Untamed Artists. I believe they're one of the companies that either help make this or doing distribution. Seeing that this was a 2024 horror film and that it featured wendigo mythology, I'm there for that. Other than that, I came into this one blind.

Synopsis: A Native American teen resurrects an ancient demon to protect his family from meth dealers, but finds the creature's bloodlust uncontrollable, forcing the family to break the curse before becoming its next victims.

We start this off with an ancient Ojibwe legend, 'When an evil is too great for man to judge, the Windigo is called upon'. I've not heard of this tribe, but from dialogue, this is taking place in Michigan. It is close to where I grew up as this was filmed outside of Ann Arbor, so that is interesting to me. I did see in a synopsis the name Chippewa for the ancestry of the Native Americans which would also make sense.

This then shifts to a man running the through the woods. He's being stalked by something. There’s also a group around a drum and it made me think that this was a ritual of sorts. This man is then attacked by whatever was after him. It is larger than him and it sounds animalistic.

It then shifts to the present and it seemed like what we saw was a nightmare. The character who woke in fear is known as Grandmother (Casey Camp-Horinek). She is scared and believes that there's something after her. She calls her daughter Claire (Tonantzin Carmelo). The only problem there is that she lives in California.

That doesn't stop her though. She brings her two teenage children with her. There is Ry (Marco Fuller) and Bree (Fivel Stewart). There is good background information that is given during this drive to the house where Grandmother lives. Ry is bullied in school and his mother didn't know about it. Bree continued learning martial arts and she says she can protect him. She is braver than he is. Ry is also into playing video games. Claire relays that their tribe takes care of their own hence why they're going to check on Grandmother. She doesn't necessarily remember the way, even though this is where she grew up. They don't get good cell service, so she needs help from Sheriff Bradley Elkins (Brain Krause). He has Ben (Adam Shalzi) in the back of his car who is a local meth dealer.

They arrive to help Grandmother. Claire informs her children they will be here for a bit to ensure that they can leave this old woman alone. Bree is excited where Ry isn't. The trio settle in and make the best of it. The two teens go into the woods where they meet Ben, Kevin (Griffin Powell-Arcand) and Tuck (Justin Mane). They're using an old barn as a meth lab. Now that the teens saw them, they're going to get rid of them. Bree helps Ry get away, but they know where this family is staying.

Ry then lives in fear and Grandmother offers a way. There is the spirit of the Windigo that could help kill evil. This offer comes with a heavy price and Ry thinks he's ready to pay it. When it comes due though, his family could be at risk.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the story. Where I want to start is that I'm glad this is incorporating people who are people of color. Fuller, Stewart, Carmelo, Camp-Horinek and Tatanka Means are all Native American or have ancestors who are. That representation is good. I also like that we are incorporating a more specific version of the wendigo mythos here as well.

This is something I'll delve more into. When I was watching this, we have parallels here to Pumpkinhead. Not completely, but we have Ry and Bree get into trouble with the meth dealers to the point where Ry can't sleep. Grandmother knows a way to summon Windigo to help. She knows that she shouldn't. This is a plot hole though. She is terrified that this entity is after her so with Ry, they summon it. I didn’t buy that. It would work better if Ry did it on his own or someone else showed him, but I'll digress there. Getting back to the reference to this other movie, Ry and Windigo are connected. He can feel what this entity is doing in getting revenge. I like this entity going after the meth dealers. It is even great what happens with the sheriff from there. It is from that point that I think it loses its way and decides to end.

I do want to go to social commentary that I think people will roll their eyes at. This Grandmother lives well outside of town. The meth dealers are using an old barn to make their product. Ben and his crew threaten to kill Ry and Bree. The teens tell the sheriff who doesn't believe them. I can understand this. Sheriff Elkins knows Ben and he isn't normally violent. He doesn't know these two teens. He thinks it was a drug deal that went bad. I do think this was intentionally done to raise the stakes for Ry. It also comes off racist and ageist. When the meth dealers start to die off, he accuses Ry of being behind it. There's a motive there. He also thinks that Ry is on drugs. Again, this feels racist and like he's protecting the criminals here. This falls into the idea that the police are protecting the white people from the 'outsiders'. There is logic here, so I thought it worked well.

Where I want to then go would be the acting. Fuller is annoying as this teen, but I thought he showed good range. He starts timidly and as he connects with the Windigo, he becomes stronger. There is an arrogance that comes from this power he's never had. I like the commentary that it is too strong to control. Stewart is good as the opposite of him. She's also attractive. Carmelo is good as the concerned mother. I like Camp-Horinek as the wise grandmother. Troy James is the monster and he does great things with his body. His size also fits well to make the Windigo even more imposing. Krause is good as the sheriff with Shalzi, Powell-Arcand and Mane as the meth dealers. The rest of the cast rounded this out for what was needed.

All that is left then is filmmaking. First, I love the setting. This is a house that is out in the woods. It feels cold and having grown up in Michigan winters, I felt that. There is an isolated atmosphere that helps this as well. I'll credit the cinematography there. What impressed me is that this mostly goes practical with the effects. I love the look of the wendigo. It has a deer skull head and has long claw fingers. It also has an imposing size. If there is CGI, it was used well. It is there to enhance which makes me happy to see. If I have an issue with either of these, it is seeing them from Windigo’s point of view. That didn't necessarily work for me. I like the idea of what they're going for, allowing Ry to see from its POV as well as allow us to. Other than that, I thought the soundtrack fit for what was needed. Hearing the monster's cries is scary and adds to the tension as well.

In conclusion, I'm glad that the screener for this was sent over. I'm a fan of mythology in general. The wendigo mythology is something that is fascinating to me. We are getting a variation of that here. I thought that the acting was solid across the board. There is an interesting commentary that comes here with outsiders and being different. I also like that it isn't necessarily in your face either. This is well-made with the setting and the look of the Windigo leading the way. No glaring issues here. I'd recommend this if what I said sounds good and you like movies about this entity.

My Rating: 7.5 out of 10