Wind Chill (2007)

:0 I

Wasn't bad see where it was going but could have been more... but not bad to watch...... June 23, 2008

Very effective. Very eerie. (Review may contain spoiler).

I love snow movies, especially when they are like this one, abandoned in snowy landscape middle of nowhere all night and menaced by phantoms! Can't remember if wind was howling too, but I think it was. It's great watching something like this, alone, and with all lights out so you're sat in total darkness apart from the dvd on screen. My only complaint (hence only four stars instead of five) was that some of the 'ghosts' or whatever they were, were a bit OTT, especially the one with the eel or whatever it was meant to be, when things like that start happening, I lose a bit of interest because it just seems so silly, and unnecessary, as, so often in movies what is hinted at, or only half seen, is far more effective than straight-up, in-your-face silliness, and at one point in the midst of some of the dreams, hallucinations, happening from the past, or time warp memory or whatever, I found myself growing a little bored, whereas throughout the rest of the movie, I was riveted, especially the bit where Emily Blunt's character goes out alone into the raging blizzard to climb a telegraph pole in the middle of the night with the threat of phantoms appearing at any moment. That, combined with the wild elements of the weather and the dark coniferous trees was a superb touch and my favourite moment in the whole movie. A very effective scene indeed.
The two characters worked well together and were believable and, as they grew closer, their plight, coupled with their growing closeness, was very touching and ulitmately very sad, given the outcome.
A joy to watch and I wish they made more movies like this one. June 21, 2008

1.5 STARS: Starts off fairly well, but fades badly.

"Wind Chill" begins with a college girl getting a ride home with a college boy for the Christmas holidays; seems harmless enough. The only things that concerns the viewer are that it is freezing cold outside, there's a lot of snow on the ground, and they have a very long drive ahead of them in the boy's rather undesirable automobile. Neither character is particularly interesting as the audience is introduced to two typical college students without much in common. As the movie progresses, things begin to happen that suggest that there is more behind this ride home than just a free ride. Ultimately, things do not go as planned for the two youngsters on their way home, and trouble lurks down the dark and icy road.

To give anymore at this point would be to give away too much of the plot. The viewer should be allowed to experience the movie without any further information. However, in saying that, it should not be deduced that the viewer is in for a particularly good movie. I do not think that would be entirely accurate. "Wind Chill" attempts some slight misdirection with the plot, but the end result is a mixed bag to put it nicely. The story behind "Wind Chill" is not bad per se, but I do not think the makers of this movie did enough with "Wind Chill". Paranormal concepts are sloppily explored in a rather offhand kind of way demonstrating a lack of imagination, skill and effort on the part of the makers of "Wind Chill".

Perhaps most damaging to "Wind Chill" is the lack of scares associated with this movie. There are only a very few scenes that could sensibly be determined to be scary in "Wind Chill", and I believe this is due in large part to the failure of the writers and director of "Wind Chill" to develop a more intricate and unsettling paranormal theme, especially since the creators of "Wind Chill" decided to go this route. The atmosphere is there from a setting standpoint, but theme and motif are largely missing, inconsistent at best. The acting is okay with the actress playing the female lead being the best of the bunch. However, that is not saying much. Script issues are a concern with "Wind Chill" in that one gets the feeling that the movie could have been better with a more creative script. In other words, not enough happens in "Wind Chill", and what does happen is rather ho-hum and the only chill associated with this movie is with the icy cold setting itself, and not the thrills and chills I am looking for in a horror movie.

In short, "Wind Chill" is pretty much a yawner, and the audience comes away with an "is that all there is to this" type attitude. I cannot recommend "Wind Chill" as a good horror movie. While the concept behind "Wind Chill" could be interesting with the right touch, I believe that the execution of this idea is largely lacking in this movie. And, while there may be some mystery and a tiny bit of suspense to it (insofar as the how the movie ends is concerned), that is about all I can really say for "Wind Chill". Unfortunately, "Wind Chill" develops into a rather boring movie-watching experience. My advice would be to skip this one or at the very least rent before you buy.

June 6, 2008

An intense psychological thriller with its fair share of genuinely creepy moments

Ah, yes, the old "who needs a ride?" trick to spend some quality time with a hot coed - why didn't I think of that when I was in college? You get your chance to wow and impress the girl, and she gets the ride home she needs without having to worry about riding a bus - everyone's happy, right? Not in this case - and that's putting it mildly. It makes for one terrific movie, though. I know some people won't embrace this story, but I loved it. Sure, it has a few rough edges, but it's a surprisingly intelligent, atmospheric, gripping little gem of a film. And, while it's more of a psychological thriller than a horror film per se, Wind Chill has its creepy moments. I don't know if I was just off my guard or tired or what, but this thing even elicited a small cry of surprise from my throat at one point - and that almost never, ever happens.

The best thing about Wind Chill - well, actually the best thing about it is Emily Blunt - but the next best thing is the film's ability to move in different directions at just the right time. Just when you think you have it all figured out, the story squirts right out of your arms like a greased pig. This makes the film a little more convoluted than some viewers might like, resulting in some confusion - despite the fact that I believe it spoon feeds you almost too much in the end. We're so used to the almost complete lack of creative ideas coming out Hollywood that your first instinct is to compare what you are seeing with other movies. The filmmakers in this case actually use that to the film's advantage, however. When you're wondering whether this is another Wrong Turn, The Hitcher (Widescreen Edition), Jeepers Creepers, The Hills Have Eyes, etc., you're wonderfully vulnerable to this film's different transitions - and, in the end, I think Wind Chill manages to carve a nice little cozy niche for itself.

The main characters are not given names, so I'll be referring to them as Girl and Guy. Girl (Emily Blunt) is planning to take a bus home to Delaware over Christmas break, then follows up on someone's suggestion to check the message boards for a possible ride. That's how she ends up riding home with Guy (Ashton Holmes), and it is not an easy trip. For starters, she treats him rather shabbily, as she's in full ice queen mode; she can hardly be bothered to even talk to him. She also senses, right from the start, that something just isn't right about Guy; her sense of foreboding only increases when she learns that Guy knows things about her that he really shouldn't know. When Guy decides to suddenly leave the highway in favor of a "shortcut" in the form of a snow-covered country road, she reaches her breaking point and starts demanding answers from this fellow she now sees as a threat. Then everything changes in a heartbeat, as an accident leaves the pair stranded by the side of the exceedingly lonely road. The intensity of the film slowly builds to a feverish pitch from this point on. I won't go into any of the details, but it is clear that very strange doings are going on in the woods beside the road.

I was happily surprised by the level of intensity this film managed to generate and retain throughout. I really had no idea how the story would play out in the end until the film's final moments, and for that I have to give the director, writers, and actors all kinds of credit. Wind Chill simply refuses to ever let you get comfortable in your role as a viewer, and that makes it quite a rare commodity in today's horror market. It's also the only film I can think of that utilizes the philosophy of Nietzsche as an integral part of the story. This is truly one of those "we need more like this" horror films. May 5, 2008

Not Too Shaby

I have seen so many horror movies that I've become immune to them and found most to be pretty predictable. This one made me jump out of my skin at least four times! It is a low budget movie, but I was impressed. The characters in this movie don't act like total idiots as in most scary movies. It's definetely worth renting. April 20, 2008

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