WENDIGO
A Magnolia Pictures release 

review by Joseph B. Mauceri

SYNOPSIS: A blue Volvo makes its way through the fading light this chilly winter evening in Upstate New York. Kim, George, and their eight-year-old son, Miles, are city dwellers stealing a weekend away at a friend's country farmhouse. A Fluke accident becomes a catalyst for a series of events that alters their lives forever, and conjures up the ferocious spirit of the Wendigo, a Native American Myth that manifest in Miles' imagination. 

REVIEW: WENDIGO completes director Larry Fessenden's trilogy, contemporary takes on the classic black-&-white Universal monster movies: Frankenstein, Dracula and the Wolfman. As such, the director draws the viewer into the story through a foundation of character development and symbolism. The opening credits established the film's tone through a simplistic symbolization of the struggle between the modern and primitive aspects of the psyche. The trance is broken as a deer comes crashing out of the woods and into the path of the car, foreshadowing the violence of the film's final confrontation.

Fessenden layers suspense through intricate character struggles and builds tension. At the vortex of this raging storm is Miles (Sullivan). This innocent is channeling all this negative energy generated by the adults surrounding him. It's through his innocence and belief in the magical that he becomes the catalyst by which this force of nature is released. Like an expertly played game of chess, Fessenden sets these various elements at odds (Nature vs. Industry; Rural vs. Urban; Man vs. Woman) striping away the pawns and delivers an exquisitely orchestrated final round.

The first two acts of WENDIGO are character driven. As any independent film worth its salt, strong character performances setup the director's palate and allow him to use broad strokes of emotional color. Clarkson and Weber are believable as a typical married couple with some underlying shortcomings that are creating tension in their marriage. Sullivan, who'll be most recognized for his appearance in the television series "Malcolm in the Middle," is a talented young actor that is the glue which holds the entire piece together. He portrays a combination of strength and simplicity that comes across as a subtle charisma. Speredakos' performance comes to the foreground in the third act to drive home the terror of this contemporary Grimm's fairy tale.

Fessenden saves all the smoke and mirrors for his third act as an act of violence unleashes the Wendigo. He uses some of the technology we've seen in films like "The Matrix," but here he employees it in a way that brings the night and forest to life. The Wendigo is terrifying, but Fessenden also ensures that there are a regal beauty and elegance to it, such as a lion or tiger on the prowl. Therefore, he plays upon the viewer's since of wonder and causes us to look upon this horrid act. Our emotional response defaults to the rules of nature, survival of the fittest and blind justice.

Larry Fessenden's WENDIGO clearly illustrates the director's keen sense of classical narratives and a unique insight into adapting them to contemporary settings. He is not only skilled at using cinematography to create atmosphere and tension, but is able to heighten it by closely weaving it together with plot and characterization. When also considering his previous work, Fessenden is not a director to use effects for effects sake. Even the most cutting edge special effect is employed to service the narrative. To render all that into a usable sound bite, I feel confident in saying that WENDIGO is a skillfully executed study in vengeance that combines a rich narrative like "The Blair Witch Project" with a more artistic approach to cutting edge special effects, such as "The Matrix."

OFFICIAL WEB SITE:
www.thewendigo.com

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