Between books, TV, and film, Indigenous stories are on the rise in the entertainment industry. The same can be said in the horror genre. Director Gabe Torres (Brake, Unsolved Mysteries) and writer Brent Jordan (Everyday But Christmas) are lending their voices to this unique subgenre of horror with a new feature film, The Windigo. In the film, a teenage boy travels to rural Michigan with his mom and sister to visit their grandmother. After a run-in with local meth dealers, the grandmother helps the boy summon an ancient creature for protection, but the sinister entity might be too powerful to control.

There is a lot to enjoy in The Windigo. It creates a different mythology around this entity from Indigenous folklore than most might be familiar with. Rather than being a creature that was once a man, this version of the Windigo is a creature that can be summoned to destroy people who have committed evil acts. However, the creature is also evil and could potentially hurt the summoner and everything they love. This allows for a tension-filled combination of supernatural horrors and a frightening creature. Yet what makes this film interesting is the human story. At its core, The Windigo is about a young man struggling with his identity and his place in the world. He describes himself as being only half Indigenous. At school he’s bullied by his peers, and at home he constantly compares himself to his sister, who seems to be good at everything she does. His story is compelling, as the circumstances he’s thrust into force him to grow up, while also gaining a better understanding of his heritage.

On the surface, The Windigo is a serviceable piece of Indigenous horror that is sure to appeal to many viewers. That said, surface-level is where much of the film remains. While it’s sometimes done in a clumsy way, the script touches on many issues such as Indigenous identity, racism, drug abuse and crime, and even racial profiling by police. The issue is that these topics could have been explored in a much deeper and more meaningful level, and this would have enhanced both the emotional impact and horrors of the film.

The cast and their performances are definitely a highlight of The Windigo. There are certain lines delivered in a way that seems forced and cheesy, but it is likely to be more to do with the writing rather than being the fault of the actors. Marco Fuller (The Son, Dead For a Dollar) stars as Ry. Fuller’s performance is the driving force of the film, taking the audience on a journey as Ry goes from angsty teenager to a capable young man. Fivel Stewart (Umma, Atypical) plays Ry’s sister, Bree. Bree is everything Ry is not; intelligent, confident, empathetic, capable, and more. Stewart is great at conveying these traits in Bree while also being a loving sister who wants nothing but the best for her brother. Fuller and Stewart are great on-screen together and embody a typical sibling relationship as they easily go from bickering, to protecting one another, to joking around. Other memorable performances come from Tonantzin Carmelo (La Brea), Casey Camp-Horinek (Avatar: The Last Airbender), and Brian Krause (Charmed).

Horror fans are sure to enjoy some of the artistic choices in the film. The creature design for the Windigo, both before and after it comes to life, is quite striking. It’s a design that has an organic quality that feels connected to nature. At the same time, the creature has an imposing, dangerous, and nightmarish quality to deliver plenty of terror. The design is mostly practical, which looks great, but the film does incorporate a bit of CGI. Unfortunately, that CGI isn’t as well done as the practical aspects and takes away from the intensity of the climax.The Windigo also manages to make dreamcatchers, something that normally provides people comfort, appear far more sinister.

The Windigo creates a frightening mythos to tell the story of a teenage boy on a journey of self discovery. The script could have gone deeper into the ideas of identity and race, but there is enough to the plot to keep audiences entertained. There are striking visuals delivering the horror and strong performances to keep the story rooted to an emotional core. Torres clearly had a specific vision while directing this film, and many horror fans are sure to keep an eye out for what he will do next.

OVERALL RATING: 6/10