Wendigo

May contain spoilers I thought this film was going to be a true horror fest with a great creature and is I got out of Wendigo was confusion and a disappointing time.In My book the film was really about the the maniac and the Wendigo was just part of the story which most of the story focused on the family.Here we have a guy looks like Tim Roth and a kid who has action figures older than he is! I know because the Wolf Man figure was made by Imperial and that Voltron(not Transformers as his father character said in the film) was the one of the first versions.Wendigo had some potential at times but having a very unnecessary strong sex scene, confusing moments, and finally seeing the Wendigo (which turned out to be a huge dear that stood on to legs with dozens of tree branches for antlers) at the last part of the film which the spirt or creature really did nothing.When the mess that is Wendigo ended I said that's all? I thought there was going to be a lot more than that.If you like legends of creatures such as Bigfoot and the Mothman and like to be scared and see great horror movies then stay away from this Wendigo that went no where!

This movie is truly awful. Why? Well, apparently, the moviemakers have no idea of what actually makes for a thrilling suspenseful movie. This is bad, because it appears that is what they have attemped to make. They also have a pretty dismal feel for even basic dialogue. Not only that, but the "parents" in this movie are very bad parents who cuss up a storm in front of their kid, then start to get _on_top of each other right in front of him. Poor kid. And the "Wendigo" looked about as scary as a man in a deer suit. Which is exactly what it was. Also, all the shots that I guess were supposed to be neato because they were from the kid's perspective were in fact just annoying, predictable, and dull. I have said it before, and I will say it again- moviemakers who try to be different _just_for_the sake_of_being_different 9 times out of 10 end up making a really bad movie. Which is exactly what happened here. I felt awful, because Looking at the back of the movie, I thought it was going to be an exciting thriller, and rented it for me, a friend, and my sister. So I ended up subjecting three people to this crap. Run away from this movie!

This film wants to be too many things at once, preposterous art house flick, horror film, and * film, but in the end, it turns out to be stupid and quite boring. The premise is that a child, with disturbing qualities, namely a shyness that is so terrifying, has an excessive imagination. There is absolutely nothing in this film that qualifies it as a horror flick, so I suggest people ignorning it. A big waste of time.

Anyone who actually had the ability to sit through this movie and walk away feeling like it was a good film does not appreciate quality movies. This movie was an insult to watch, the direction was high school film class quality as well as the cinematography. The Blair Witch Project had better cinematography and I hate that move with a passion! The storyline had the potential to be a very intense very good movie but it fell flat from the first 10 minutes through the rest of the movie. Someone mentioned that this film was about a child's imagination, okay thats all good and fine. But they still could have done better things with this script than what they did. I mean come on, the Indian in the store. Did the kid look at the little idol and suddenly imagine the Indian and the entire story about an Indian spirit called Wendigo? Which they mention to the store employee and she casually says there is no one but me that works here, so you think okay creepy ghost scenario, but then she just barters for the amount on the idol and we forget about the little kid seeing this guy. That was so lame it goes beyond pathetic. The ending left you wondering not only what happened to Otis in the hospital but also with the feeling of OMG!!! Why the hell did I just waste my time watching this!! This is a move that I recommend NOT to watch, there are definitely better quality films out there that won't insult your intelligence! Thank god I never had to pay to see this movie, I would have demanded my money back! For those that were easily entertained by this movie.... it's very sad that you lowered your standards to this level of film making to actually say that it was a good movie.

source: Wendigo

POSSIBLE SPOILERS "Wendigo" falls squarely into the genre of what I like to call "The Killer Credits". That's where you're still waiting for something to happen when all of a sudden, BAM---there are the end credits! They hit you like a ten-ton runaway truck. In fact, the biggest moment of dread in "Wendigo" is the moment JUST before the end credits begin. There is a moment of blackness, and the musical cues tell us that something has just come to an end. In a split second, we realize, this is it...it's over...the credits are going to start and I'm still waiting for something to happen! No! STOP! Don't do this!! Then the first one slips across the screen, and you realize all is lost. This is a real shame, because up until the final third of the film, "Wendigo" builds a delicious atmosphere of dread. I kept waiting for something terrible to happen. Something does, but it's not the something that we've been led to expect. In another movie, this might have been intriguing, even welcome. In this one, it just plain sucks. I am still reeling over this film and trying to place the exact moment where it went wrong. The plot concerns a small family on a weekend getaway to a friend's cottage in the Catskills. Kim and George are typical fast-lane New York parents (she's an analyst, he's a photographer), and their small son, Miles, is a quiet kid who seems to have attended the same private school as Haley Joel Osment. The family runs afoul of some "locals" when they hit a deer that runs across the road in front of their car. The deer is being stalked by three hunters, one with the ominous moniker of "Otis", so we know this is a bad thing. The hunters, especially Otis, are angry because the buck's antlers are chipped from the impact, therefore devaluing it. Words are exchanged and once the family gets to the cottage, they discover bullet holes in some of the windows. While the family is foraging for groceries in town, a mysterious "Indian man" appears and gives Miles a weird animal statue, explaining to him the legend of the Wendigo--a vengeful spirit who consumes flesh and is part man, part animal, part tree...or whatever else happens to be around. To tell more would be to spoil the movie's one big surprise, so I won't give away what really happens. What I will tell you, though, is that this is the kind of movie where weird, scary things happen, and they turn out to be hallucinations. For instance, Miles sees a man emerge from his closet and point a gun at him. No danger...hallucination. There are noises in the attic and the retractable stairs bow outward ominously, as if something up there wants out...hallucination. Miles has a vision while riding his sled...hallucination. Then before we know what hit us, we're in the film's final stages. A non-supernatural threat is revealed, and the fearsome legend of the Wendigo turns out to be just a couple of vague appearances and the inability to inflict any kind of real harm on a human being. We do see it, and it looks like a giant deer walking on two legs. It's creepy...at least I thought it was...but that's all. I think the movie's crucial misstep was the ghostly man's description of the Wendigo. We as the audience have been tricked into thinking the Wendigo is going to cut loose on these people, or at least on somebody in the film, and it never really happens. It's a letdown, and by the time the events of the ending unfold, we're tapping our feet nervously, waiting for some Wendigo action. And then those killer credits come, signaling the death of the movie. It was a nice try, but after all the buildup, the conclusion of the film feels like a cheat. But that dramatic pause in the blackness, KNOWING those credits were coming but not wanting to accept the fact that the movie was really over? Terrifying.

Larry Fessenden is an independent director who has focused his career in making horror movies with philosophical and existential subtexts. Despite his sparse production (four movies in 16 years), his original approach to the genre and the quality of his work has given him recognition and praise in festivals and in the independent scene. "Wendigo", the third of his horror-themed films is probably the weakest of them, but it has many of the unique characteristics of Fessenden's film-making that make it stand out among the genre. A young family of three heads to upstate New York hoping to spend a time relaxing hoping to relieve from the stress from the city. However, they find problems as they find an angry local named Otis (John Speredakos) who is not very happy with having them as neighbors. His strong and intimidating presence serves as catalyst for the family's inner conflicts and fears, specially those of little Miles (Erik Per Sullivan), whose feelings of loneliness are increased due to the fear Otis creates in him. As he learns about the legend of the Wendigo, Miles will learn to face the harsh world that is out there. Very loosely based on the Anishinaabe legend of the Wendigo, the movie is a haunting drama mixed with horror that perfectly combines a lucid visual style with a clever storyline. Told from Miles' point of view, the film is genuinely creepy and the snowy landscapes together with the feeling of isolation Miles feels increase the haunting atmosphere of the film. Basing its scares on mood and atmosphere makes the film a rare species among modern horror movies, and the excellent camera-work makes the film look a lot better than other low-budget independent films. Fessenden visual approach may seem a bit "style over substance" at first, but he takes a good time in developing the characters and their relationships. In fact, the relationships between them are probably the most important thing in "Wendigo". From Miles' distant relationship with his parents George (Jake Webber) and Kim (Patricia Clarkson) to both parents' struggle to keep a balance between job and family's responsibilities. The impact Otis has in the family and the Wendigo's legend work perfectly as plot devices to make the film move. The lead cast is superb, with Erik Per Sullivan being an excellent actor despite his young age. Jake Webber and Patricia Clarkson show their talent and the three of them have very good chemistry as a family. The rest of the cast is average, but their work is fine considering that the center of the film are our three main characters. The Wendigo spirit, an important part of the plot, is very well recreated and despite its cheap low-budget look, Fessenden camera-work make it work very good. Sadly, the movie is not perfect and despite having a very strong start, the movie loses steam and by the end it falls short to the expectations built. Larry Fessenden offers a creative and actually haunting film that is severely hurt by the lack of a competent conclusion, a shame if one considers that the characters are very well developed and the plot has lots of potential. The fact that the use of atmosphere, visuals and audio is superb makes the weak ending the more disappointing. It feels as if Fessenden had not cared about how to finish the tale as the movie feels incomplete. "Wendigo" has been hailed as both a masterpiece and as a failure. While the movie has enough good things to be called a great film, it's disappointing pay-off and lack of conclusion are a big stain. In this case the best thing to do is to watch and judge for yourself, just don't expect a typical horror film. 6/10

Damn This is the worst movie I have ever seen. The whole movie I was waiting for a little bit of action. But it was such a waist of time. This movie really sucks

George and Kim are traveling with their young son Miles to a remote cabin in upstate New York when their car hits a deer and swerves into a ditch.But what seems to be a mere occurrence of misfortune marks the beginning of a terrifying journey,where myth becomes reality and a flesh-eating spirit,half animal and half man Wendigo,haunts a small town..."Wendigo" by Larry Fessenden is a thought-provoking horror film that often tenderfoot's into a somber family drama.The acting is great,the characters are well-developed and there are some bone-chilling moments.The subtle glimpses of Wendigo are handled effectively and it's never clear what is real and what is imagined,or even if the story is taking place entirely in Miles' head.Overall,"Wendigo" is my first contact with Larry Fessenden's work and surely won't be the last.Give this film a chance,if you don't mind watching something unconventional.8 out of 10.

My friends and I rented this movie as we were looking for a horror film to either laugh at or be impressed by. With this film, we couldn't do either since it was so dull. The cover is a bit misleading, and the movie told no story whatsoever. There's a lot of irrelevant, boring dialogue and even when it sticks to the plot, nothing enhances it or helps it grow. There isn't enough suspense for it to be considered a horror film. The basic story follows a family vacationing in the wintry mountains who bump into irate hunter Otis. After the family gets settled, the little boy, Miles, has strange visions and meets a mysterious Native American. This is where you learn the conflicting information about the Wendigo. Is it good, is it bad? What does it want? You'll never know. Maybe this is to help you make your own opinion, but the movie doesn't even give you enough criteria to base one on! If you do decide to rent this (they should be paying you to rent it), and feel gypped by the movie, you may try looking at the director's interview to learn more about the Wendigo. Well, you'll be disappointed there too. Toothless Larry Fessenden stands in front of a graffiti wall on a city street to share all his knowledge which turns out to be very little. He'll speak of hearing his teacher tell the story of the dreaded Wendigo when he was in third grade, and that it "haunted him ever since". He doesn't divulge the actual story because he conveniently forgets. Nice supporting back story there, buddy. You can't even remember what inspired you to make this stupid movie? The only, ONLY good thing about this movie was the Wendigo itself. They put in a lot of effort and detail to make the Wendigo lifelike. However, you only get to see that in the 'making of' DVD extra. In the actual movie, the lighting is dark or the shots are too quick for you to appreciate it. Obviously, lighting issues are for atmosphere but it didn't seem to make sense to give that much full body detail to the creature if we weren't gonna see all of it. My advice is to skip over this one unless you enjoy being confused or laughing at the beginning of the "Searching for the Wendigo" extra.