bobwildhorror Now this is what I'm talking about. Finally, a low-budget horror outing that uses its limitations to its advantage. WENDIGO, while occasionally flawed, is a triumph of the imagination. Granted, it leans heavy on EVIL DEAD style camera moves for its moodiness, but it's still a damn sight better than 99% of direct to video dross.The story is pretty simple: a family takes a vacation at a remote cabin and are menaced by one particularly unhinged hunter. But director Larry Fessenden really knows how to build suspense and add layers of unsettling creepiness through the use of the mythical Wendigo. Is it real? Is it all in the boy's imagination? Is it an externalization of the child's emotional state? Some have quibbled that the film is unsatisfying because it's left to you to decide. Don't be put off by such petty nonsense. A film that makes you think is not one to avoid. It's one to rejoice in.

Golgo-13 It was a cold winter night and I was driving home slowly because of the snow-covered roads. Suddenly, as I peered through the falling flakes, there it was, right in front of me. I ended up with nearly a thousand dollars damage to the front of my truck…dang wendigos! I liked Wendigo but it's not really for everyone. It's a bit slow moving in parts and I'm sure some would just find it dull. Also, it's easy to tell the budget was limited during some of the creature's scenes. Still, I enjoyed it. I had read several short stories about this legend in my younger years and it was pretty cool to see it brought to film in a serious, even sometimes creepy, manner (as opposed to Troma's very silly Frostbiter). This film was able to give me a feeling that this forest spirit could possibly exist for real, at least more so than similar films. The story was not always focused on the Wendigo and when it was, it was mostly by way of the young boy. The way this was handled is what gave this movie its air of believability, as if we are KNOWING it through the child's eyes, the eyes we all used to have. Anyway, the acting was, for the most part, good and the direction low-key yet stylish. For me, Wendigo captured the imagination that I had as a child…that there was "something" out there but really only I knew or at least, thought, about it. Life still went on as normal, of course, but from time to time, in the background, those feelings came to me, just like in the movie.Larry Fessenden's Habit is also worth a watch.

José Luis Rivera Mendoza (jluis1984) 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

penisandtesticles I recently viewed this film for the first time. Now, I do admit that I am a fan of gory horror movies, but at the same time movies that intrigue the human mind. By no means should a horror movie be classified by the amount of gore because there have been dozens of great movies in the past that have scared the wits out of me without the need of graphic violence. Now as you read the first half of my comment, you see that I have yet to talk about the film. The film was quite similar in that the first half all but gave me the greatest sleep I've had in years. The opening scene possibly makes you think something exciting is going to happen and yet nothing does. To be perfectly honest, as I was watching, I had to check the genre classification of this film to make sure I saw right because in now way could this be viewed as a horror film as there is NOTHING scary about it what so ever. The actual creature (which I practically laughed at when it first appeared on screen) that is supposed to scare you did nothing of the sort. The only person who gave the movie any life was John Speredakos whose character (as little as it appeared) was still quite plausible. The movie was only an hour and half long and the first hour had NOTHING. Yet, they still managed a sex scene which proves to me that the director felt that sex would grab the audience's attention more so than an actual "thrill". The acting was good, but there was no substance to the plot and I was very disappointed. Luckily, I caught it on IFC and did not have to pay money for such a wrongly-classified film.