Depressed by a career I can't control, a war I can't stop and an inner voice I can't kill, I knew exactly what to prescribe... a low-budget horror rental. That and alcohol ought to be able to put me in the right frame of mind. I've had good luck with this in the past, but sadly, Wendigo did not meet my expectations.
George (Jake Weber), his wife Kim (Patricia Clarkson) and their son Miles (Erik Per Sullivan) are driving to their friend's cabin in the Catskills when they hit a deer. They are soon after confronted by a group of yahoo hunters, lead by a guy named Otis (John Speredakos). The smart, non-violent type, George is able to diffuse the situation for the time being, but this guy Otis keeps making his presence known. Meanwhile, a Native American ghost tells Miles the story of the Wendigo, a mythical beast that protects the forest. When George is mysteriously wounded while sledding with his son and Otis finds himself pursued by something unseen, one has to wonder if the myth is also a reality.
Director Larry Fessenden is a talented filmmaker. His raw and convincing New York vampire film, Habit, was able to portray real people in a real environment dealing with unreal circumstances. This is the greatest challenge for any horror director. Wendigo has some of these elements, particularly in the beginning, but is so bogged down trying to tell two stories, it fails to tell either of them very well. For the first half of the film, incredible time and attention is paid to character development. When we see how George and Kim (both excellently played by Weber and Clarkson) deal with the predicament of their car accident, we immediately buy into the fear a stranger like Otis can instigate. Also, the way the couple deals with each other as well as their son is far more intelligent than what we're used to seeing in this genre market. We buy that these are real people and, like in many horror classics, we feel cold and isolated in their cabin while every shadow or sound may be evidence of impending doom.
However, eventually the film shifts and becomes about a mythical creature few people have ever heard of who seems rather benign. Looking somewhat like a deer on its hind legs with tree-like antlers, the Wendigo seems to bring more mystery than fear. What does any of this have to do with the story thus far? This question is never fully answered. While the monster does attempt to punish evil and protect good (which, contrary to popular belief, all the really cool monsters do), its origins and its future are never really brought to the forefront. When the film suddenly ends (for no apparent reason), we're left wondering why there was no conclusion to the monster's story. The predicament of a family in unfamiliar surroundings being taunted by a thug is wrapped up rather well, but the entire issue of the film's title seems to be handled so poorly as to not even be relevant.
One of the film's aims seems to be a discussion on how we rely on myth to deal with what we don't understand, particularly as it relates to children. It is suggested (more by other film critics than by the film itself) that it is the boy who conjures up the Wendigo to avenge his father. Maybe, maybe not. This study of myth and reality conflicting is certainly a noble venture, but it is not explored thoroughly enough to make for a memorable picture. The decent acting and Fessenden's directing style makes the film's failure to produce a good monster story all the more disappointing. Potential and intention are both there, but the film is more likely to make you feel ripped off than horrified. C
