The Wind (2018 film)

Did You Know?

• Prior to its release, IFC Films commissioned a short horror game to promote the film.
• The game was created by independent developer Airdorf, and utilizes a style similar to that of Airdorf's Faith.
• The game was met with a positive reception, but criticised for its short length.

Plot

In the late 1800s, the Macklins—Lizzy and her husband Isaac—leave St. Louis for an empty stretch of New Mexico territory, hoping to start a new settlement. They live completely alone until the Harpers, Emma and Gideon, show up from Illinois and take over a rundown cabin nearby. The film jumps around in time; it opens with the burial of Emma and her stillborn baby, carried out by the other three main characters. Lizzy grows close to the younger Emma, who seems to be in a difficult marriage, and the Macklins help fix up the Harpers’ cabin, replant a garden, and grow some crops.

Lizzy tells Emma that she lost her own son, Samuel, during childbirth. While she was pregnant, Lizzy became increasingly scared that a demon visited her at night, especially when Isaac was away. One night, Gideon rushes over to say Emma is sick. At the Harpers’ cabin, Lizzy finds Emma hiding under a bed, babbling.

Emma says something is after her and wants her unborn baby. Lizzy knocks her out with chloroform, and Emma slaps her during the struggle. As her pregnancy continues, Emma keeps telling Lizzy she feels a supernatural presence she can’t explain, but Lizzy ignores her. Emma says she plans to name the baby after either Lizzy or Isaac.

Late in Emma’s pregnancy, she apparently shoots herself in the head with Lizzy’s shotgun. Lizzy tries to save the baby with a caesarean but fails. Isaac and Gideon bury Emma and the child, then leave to report the deaths, abandoning Lizzy alone. After they go, Lizzy’s paranoia returns.

A wolf pack attacks and kills her goat. The next day, she sees the goat alive and, terrified, shoots it. Another night, she spots lights in the Harper cabin and investigates. The cabin is empty, but violent poltergeist activity torments her until she passes out.

She wakes up to find Emma’s diary on the floor. Inside, she reads an entry where Emma says she hates Gideon and claims she is carrying Isaac’s child. Lizzy burns those pages in the fireplace. To calm her nerves, she knocks herself out with chloroform.

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 67 reviews are positive for The Wind, giving it an average rating. The site’s critics describe it as flawed but compelling, praising its ambitious horror story, fresh viewpoint, and genuine scares. Metacritic calculates a score of 66 out of 100 from 14 critics, which means reviews are generally favorable. Jessica Kiang of Variety liked the film, noting it avoids making its female characters perfect heroes and instead shows understanding for even their worst actions.

She also highlighted director Tammi’s confident and steady filmmaking as a promising debut. Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter was mostly positive, calling the film well-shot and edited with a script that holds interest for a while. However, he felt the tension drops in the final act, where the scares become silly and over-the-top. Still, he found it refreshing to see such an original indie horror film told strictly from a woman’s perspective.