It is a surrealistic film, like a nightmare. Very claustrophobic n heavy on atmosphere. Saw this first in 2007 on a DVD. Revisited it recently. The movie is about a college girl who is trying to get home on Christmas break. She hitches a ride with a complete stranger by getting his number thru a college ride board. Strangely, the stranger knows everything about her. The stranger takes a short cut through the forests..... The acting by the two leads were very good, especially Blunt. The director did a good job with the settings n atmosphere. The story was decent but audiences may find shades of Dead end, The Abandoned 2006, Triangle, No mans land aka Reeker 2 n Haunter. Also ther r aspects in this movie which ain't original. In this movie u can make out when the terror is approaching when the song starts playing in the car a la Jeepers creepers style. Also most of the film is shot in the car a la Joy ride n Penny dreadful. The score is very good, in particular the piece at the beginning and end. Very haunting n sad. Despite nearly the entire film being set in the broken down car n almost in one location it never gets boring.
162 Reviews
Snowbound scare-flick with plenty to recommend
Leofwine_draca4 September 2011
WIND CHILL is a decent little horror film with about a hundred times more verve and originality than the latest GRUDGE sequel. It's an understated ghost story, in essence a two hander about a couple of strangers trapped in a car in the worst possible place: an isolated stretch of road, reputedly haunted and in the depths of a snowy winter where the temperature's due to reach minus thirty.
The supernatural elements of the story are akin to THE SHINING, although of course they take place out of doors rather than in an empty hotel. Most of the film is dialogue-driven, which is fine when the script concentrates on characterisation and creates two well-rounded protagonists, each with their own personality flaws and defects. British actress Emily Blunt, best known for her comic role in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, is great; her character is far from likable but grows on you as the film develops while the unknown-to-me Ashton Holmes is equally good in a sympathetic role.
There are no action scenes, no vivid effects and no great moments of drama. Subtlety abounds. I'll admit that I rarely get scared watching a film these days, and it didn't happen in this one (although there are some genuinely creepy scenes involving the priest characters). Nevertheless, I enjoyed the film from start to finish thanks to the unfamiliar story and the integrity displayed throughout in its refusal to bow to Hollywood convention.
The supernatural elements of the story are akin to THE SHINING, although of course they take place out of doors rather than in an empty hotel. Most of the film is dialogue-driven, which is fine when the script concentrates on characterisation and creates two well-rounded protagonists, each with their own personality flaws and defects. British actress Emily Blunt, best known for her comic role in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, is great; her character is far from likable but grows on you as the film develops while the unknown-to-me Ashton Holmes is equally good in a sympathetic role.
There are no action scenes, no vivid effects and no great moments of drama. Subtlety abounds. I'll admit that I rarely get scared watching a film these days, and it didn't happen in this one (although there are some genuinely creepy scenes involving the priest characters). Nevertheless, I enjoyed the film from start to finish thanks to the unfamiliar story and the integrity displayed throughout in its refusal to bow to Hollywood convention.
promising but disappointing horror film
Buddy-515 March 2008
Emily Blunt and Ashton Holmes play two nameless college students who share a ride home for the holidays. On the way from Pennsylvania to Delaware, their car becomes stranded in a snow bank far away from civilization. Soon they are being haunted by the ghosts of all the numerous people who died earlier in the very spot that seems intent on claiming two fresh victims.
"Wind Chill" is a modest little horror outing whose admirable restraint and sense of atmosphere don't quite compensate for its overall lack of energy and incoherent storyline. It takes quite awhile for the plot to kick itself into gear, and even when it does, the movie ends not with a bang but with a whimper.
"Wind Chill" is certainly preferable to an out-and-out gore-fest like "Saw" or "Hostel," but a few more runs through the typewriter (or word processor, as the case may be) might have gone a long way towards making it a more satisfying and scary film. Like the car stuck in the snowdrift, the audience at "Wind Chill" ultimately finds itself stranded in the middle of nowhere.
"Wind Chill" is a modest little horror outing whose admirable restraint and sense of atmosphere don't quite compensate for its overall lack of energy and incoherent storyline. It takes quite awhile for the plot to kick itself into gear, and even when it does, the movie ends not with a bang but with a whimper.
"Wind Chill" is certainly preferable to an out-and-out gore-fest like "Saw" or "Hostel," but a few more runs through the typewriter (or word processor, as the case may be) might have gone a long way towards making it a more satisfying and scary film. Like the car stuck in the snowdrift, the audience at "Wind Chill" ultimately finds itself stranded in the middle of nowhere.
Don't snowflake out on me
Cujo1087 August 2010
For Christmas break, a bitchy college girl (Emily Blunt) is in desperate need of a ride home to Delaware. When a classmate (Ashton Holmes) overhears this, he puts up an ad on the school's billboard since he has a crush on her. She winds up taking the ride, but it soon becomes obvious that he's a tad bit obsessed with her. Naturally, this leads to a tense atmosphere for the long drive home, so he takes a shortcut. While heading down this lonely road, they're involved in an accident which leaves them stranded in the snow. With no one around to help and the cold reaching below zero temperatures, their situation isn't exactly enviable. It becomes even less so when they realize that this isolated stretch of road is haunted by unsettling apparitions, one of which is quite dangerous.
I've been extremely fond of Emily Blunt ever since I first saw her in 2004's "My Summer of Love". Aside from being a stellar talent, she's a stunning girl and infinitely charming. The film is worth seeing just for her, but her co-star, Ashton Holmes, is much better here than he was in "A History of Violence". I found him so annoying in that film, but here, he was actually likable. What a shock!
The film is definitely creepy at times. Thankfully, no weak jump scares either. It's all built up subtly through mood, atmosphere and shadows. There's one especially effective scene about halfway through. You'll know it when you see it, but I'll just say it reminded me of a similarly unnerving scene from Wes Craven's underrated "The Serpent and the Rainbow".
I was thrilled to see Clint Mansell's name in the opening credits, as I knew right away that the film would have a particularly strong score. It did wonders for the film's tone, and especially shone through during the ending. Speaking of which, the ending is somewhat on the weak side. It seemed too simple, and the connection between these two characters wasn't strong enough to support it. Actually, they're pretty much at odds with each other for the majority of the picture, so there's hardly a connection at all. It speaks volumes about the power of Mansell's score, as it manages to give the ending a feeling of emotional weight where there otherwise would be none.
In spite of the film's closing moments, this deserved a wider release. The scenes on the deserted road are effective and moody, while Blunt has talent to burn. It isn't perfect, but it's a good little film with more to offer than some of the filth that hits 3000+ screens nationwide. Think of it as a sort of ghost story by way of urban legend, which is supported by the characters just being referred to as "Boy" and "Girl" in the closing credits.
I've been extremely fond of Emily Blunt ever since I first saw her in 2004's "My Summer of Love". Aside from being a stellar talent, she's a stunning girl and infinitely charming. The film is worth seeing just for her, but her co-star, Ashton Holmes, is much better here than he was in "A History of Violence". I found him so annoying in that film, but here, he was actually likable. What a shock!
The film is definitely creepy at times. Thankfully, no weak jump scares either. It's all built up subtly through mood, atmosphere and shadows. There's one especially effective scene about halfway through. You'll know it when you see it, but I'll just say it reminded me of a similarly unnerving scene from Wes Craven's underrated "The Serpent and the Rainbow".
I was thrilled to see Clint Mansell's name in the opening credits, as I knew right away that the film would have a particularly strong score. It did wonders for the film's tone, and especially shone through during the ending. Speaking of which, the ending is somewhat on the weak side. It seemed too simple, and the connection between these two characters wasn't strong enough to support it. Actually, they're pretty much at odds with each other for the majority of the picture, so there's hardly a connection at all. It speaks volumes about the power of Mansell's score, as it manages to give the ending a feeling of emotional weight where there otherwise would be none.
In spite of the film's closing moments, this deserved a wider release. The scenes on the deserted road are effective and moody, while Blunt has talent to burn. It isn't perfect, but it's a good little film with more to offer than some of the filth that hits 3000+ screens nationwide. Think of it as a sort of ghost story by way of urban legend, which is supported by the characters just being referred to as "Boy" and "Girl" in the closing credits.
A Somewhat Tedious But Well-Scripted Film of Isolation
gavin69422 October 2007
A boy and a girl (whose names are never revealed) share a car ride home to Delaware, which is strange once you realize no film in history has ever taken place in Delaware. Luckily, they get stranded on the roadside and don't make it there, saving us the chance of this being the first film to take place there. But the stranding was just the beginning -- ghostly figures live in the woods and the girl slowly learns the guy is not who he says he is.
I have to hand it to the creators of this film. Gregory Jacobs is a relatively new director (though he has helped on many projects) and Joe Gangemi is a new writer. Steven Katz also co-wrote this film, but hasn't written any screenplay since 2000's "Shadow of the Vampire" (which was quite good, for the record). Being new doesn't hamper these guys -- they put together a tight picture.
The writing is much stronger than the plot or directing, I have to say. I enjoyed the plot of the boy's mysterious background (this alone could have carried the film), but the ghosts and the violent cop just weren't all that interesting to me. I enjoyed the isolated car story much better in "Penny Dreadful". The dialog was astoundingly incredible. I could have listened to these two talk about pointless things for hours. The inclusion of Nietzsche's eternal recurrence was a nice touch, and actually ties in to the plot. As a philosophy major, that tugged at my heartstrings.
The guy was a decent actor, but the real star here is Emily Blunt. You might know her name, and you're familiar with her if you've seen "The Devil Wears Prada" (I haven't). Miss Blunt has several projects in 2007 and 2008, and I'm not surprised -- she is a dynamic actress that is both talented and beautiful. And not the dainty type of beauty Hollywood likes, but a more powerful brand.
The film is a bit tedious and drags in the second half. Things get repetitive (hence the eternal recurrence) and the ghosts aren't really all that interesting. The cop is bland, the priest is just mildly intimidating and the black man who coughs up an eel is not nearly as creepy as it could have been. I mean, he's coughing up an eel -- that should have been the highlight of the film, but it was just a quick scene.
I'm glad I saw this one. It had solid writing and a nice dynamic between the two leads. I was expecting the music to be better, with the score being done by the same man who composed the score for "The Fountain" but I was instead treated to bad Christmas songs. I've had enough of Christmas movies and music. But, I suppose it's better than Creed or Rush. If you're curious, pick this one up. It's not a bad beer and pizza movie, though you could probably do better.
I have to hand it to the creators of this film. Gregory Jacobs is a relatively new director (though he has helped on many projects) and Joe Gangemi is a new writer. Steven Katz also co-wrote this film, but hasn't written any screenplay since 2000's "Shadow of the Vampire" (which was quite good, for the record). Being new doesn't hamper these guys -- they put together a tight picture.
The writing is much stronger than the plot or directing, I have to say. I enjoyed the plot of the boy's mysterious background (this alone could have carried the film), but the ghosts and the violent cop just weren't all that interesting to me. I enjoyed the isolated car story much better in "Penny Dreadful". The dialog was astoundingly incredible. I could have listened to these two talk about pointless things for hours. The inclusion of Nietzsche's eternal recurrence was a nice touch, and actually ties in to the plot. As a philosophy major, that tugged at my heartstrings.
The guy was a decent actor, but the real star here is Emily Blunt. You might know her name, and you're familiar with her if you've seen "The Devil Wears Prada" (I haven't). Miss Blunt has several projects in 2007 and 2008, and I'm not surprised -- she is a dynamic actress that is both talented and beautiful. And not the dainty type of beauty Hollywood likes, but a more powerful brand.
The film is a bit tedious and drags in the second half. Things get repetitive (hence the eternal recurrence) and the ghosts aren't really all that interesting. The cop is bland, the priest is just mildly intimidating and the black man who coughs up an eel is not nearly as creepy as it could have been. I mean, he's coughing up an eel -- that should have been the highlight of the film, but it was just a quick scene.
I'm glad I saw this one. It had solid writing and a nice dynamic between the two leads. I was expecting the music to be better, with the score being done by the same man who composed the score for "The Fountain" but I was instead treated to bad Christmas songs. I've had enough of Christmas movies and music. But, I suppose it's better than Creed or Rush. If you're curious, pick this one up. It's not a bad beer and pizza movie, though you could probably do better.
Subtle thriller
daggersineyes15 September 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I enjoyed this movie! It wasn't as thrilling as some but the story & characters drew me in and fascinated me. The acting was absolutely brilliant from all concerned - especially the two leads - "guy and girl". I loved that they never named them and how interesting it was that they never introduce themselves to each other! Very moody and tense, this is not a horror flick for gore fans, it's more of a tension- filled drama with spooky spectral beings and one particularly nasty ghost adding to the proceedings.
The script is extremely well written, even eliciting a couple of wry chuckles at appropriate times. The direction and score (by the awesome Mansell) were excellent and it utilised it's chillingly beautiful snow- bound setting and creepy ruins expertly. I loved it but I wouldn't call it a horror movie - despite a few of the nastier images. It's more of a thrilling drama, a spooky love story, and/or - as someone else wrote - a tale of redemption. It's also a tale about dealing with isolation, not just in the snow-covered crashed car but in the lives of the protagonists generally. And the ending is perfect when you understand what this movie is - and is not - about.
The movie gives you plenty to think about and if you watch this expecting everything to be crystal clear, straightforward and wrapped up at the end you'll be disappointed. It's got something of a metaphorical/philosophical under-pinning that relates to the characters of 'guy' and 'girl' and their "night of awakening".
I note with interest several of the "this is rubbish" reviews seem to have made obvious mistakes about what happens in this movie, even clear and simple things like what actions the characters took to get help at different times. Either they didn't watch it all or they weren't paying attention which is probably why they ended up giving it a bad review. This is a movie you need to pay attention to - it's not just "lets have fun eating popcorn while watching people being terrorised in the dark" - there's much more to it than that.
But it's the two main actors that really make this movie. The quality of their acting is astounding and it says bucket-fulls about their acting skills that they both eventually gained my sympathy. I actually didn't like either of them at first, she was horribly arrogant & he is a stalker/loser, but as the movie progressed I grew to understand them & their behaviour (as did they) and really care about, not just their survival of this particular night, but their future development as human beings.
I recommend it to people who like moody ghost stories with an intelligent, poetic style & a focus on character development, who don't mind a slower paced movie. I don't recommend it if you have the attention span of a gnat or think horror movies are good only if they're about "violence, gore & sick stuff" as I've heard some say. Will be looking for more from this director.
The script is extremely well written, even eliciting a couple of wry chuckles at appropriate times. The direction and score (by the awesome Mansell) were excellent and it utilised it's chillingly beautiful snow- bound setting and creepy ruins expertly. I loved it but I wouldn't call it a horror movie - despite a few of the nastier images. It's more of a thrilling drama, a spooky love story, and/or - as someone else wrote - a tale of redemption. It's also a tale about dealing with isolation, not just in the snow-covered crashed car but in the lives of the protagonists generally. And the ending is perfect when you understand what this movie is - and is not - about.
The movie gives you plenty to think about and if you watch this expecting everything to be crystal clear, straightforward and wrapped up at the end you'll be disappointed. It's got something of a metaphorical/philosophical under-pinning that relates to the characters of 'guy' and 'girl' and their "night of awakening".
I note with interest several of the "this is rubbish" reviews seem to have made obvious mistakes about what happens in this movie, even clear and simple things like what actions the characters took to get help at different times. Either they didn't watch it all or they weren't paying attention which is probably why they ended up giving it a bad review. This is a movie you need to pay attention to - it's not just "lets have fun eating popcorn while watching people being terrorised in the dark" - there's much more to it than that.
But it's the two main actors that really make this movie. The quality of their acting is astounding and it says bucket-fulls about their acting skills that they both eventually gained my sympathy. I actually didn't like either of them at first, she was horribly arrogant & he is a stalker/loser, but as the movie progressed I grew to understand them & their behaviour (as did they) and really care about, not just their survival of this particular night, but their future development as human beings.
I recommend it to people who like moody ghost stories with an intelligent, poetic style & a focus on character development, who don't mind a slower paced movie. I don't recommend it if you have the attention span of a gnat or think horror movies are good only if they're about "violence, gore & sick stuff" as I've heard some say. Will be looking for more from this director.
What a piece of garbage
MichaelLibinAP3 November 2007
I love intelligent horror. I'm not a fan of torture porn/slasher flicks. I love Hitchcockian subtlety, and nerve-jangling set-ups. This film has none of the above. It begins promisingly enough with a brooding college student accepting a ride home for the holidays from a stranger who's posted an available lift on the campus ride-board. How many times did I myself catch a ride home in this manner while in school...always feeling a tiny bit chilled by the possibility of danger. Her driver, an odd young man, is full of mystery. It appears that he knows a wee bit too much about his passenger. Interesting premise. Then all hell breaks loose. The script descends into horror cliché ("Penny Dreadful" did the trapped-in-the-woods routine much better) and inarticulation. In short, it makes no sense. Oh sure, there's the dime-story theology and philosophy that's supposed to make this mess look cerebral. But, it never quite delivers--leaving viewers scratching their heads and asking "who was that?"..."what was that?" and "huh?" Pity, because Emily Blunt is terrific. Unfortunately, her character has the IQ of a grapefruit, which makes her a tough gal with whom to sympathize.
Incidentally, comparing this film to the brilliant "Rosemary's Baby" is blasphemous. Polanski's masterpiece is still the gold-standard by which fright flicks are judged--40 years after its release. Who will be discussing "Wind Chill" six months after its straight-to-video debut?
Incidentally, comparing this film to the brilliant "Rosemary's Baby" is blasphemous. Polanski's masterpiece is still the gold-standard by which fright flicks are judged--40 years after its release. Who will be discussing "Wind Chill" six months after its straight-to-video debut?
"The Sure Thing" meets "The Twilight Zone"
george.schmidt30 April 2007
Warning: Spoilers
WIND CHILL (2007) *** Emily Blunt, Ashton Holmes, Martin Donovan, Ned Bellamy, Chelan Simmons. (Dir: Gregory Jacobs)
"The Sure Thing" meets "The Twilight Zone"
Everyone loves a good ghost story and the latest installment on screen is a well-crafted suspenser that feels like "The Sure Thing" meets "The Twilight Zone" if written by Stephen King.
Set in the frost-bitten winter of a small Pennsylvania college campus days before the Christmas break, a young coed (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA's gloriously bitchy Blunt) is attempting to get back home to Delaware when her plans fall flat forcing her to chose a ride from the bulletin board to share expenses on her trek for the holidays.
Her driver is a fellow student (A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE's Holmes) whose compact sedan is overflowing with all his worldly possessions (he claims he is in between living spaces), and harboring a secret crush on the pretty yet cranky passenger.
En route the two do not hit it off at all and bicker back and forth making the tedious drive insufferable. While getting gas Holmes decides to take a detour on a snow-covered back road, claiming it'll be picture post-card perfect viewing to break up the monotony. Blunt becomes increasingly angry and demands they get back on the main highway and as they argue an oncoming car force them off the narrow path into a snow bank. With a crack in the gas tank, no food and no cell phone signal (natch) the pair suddenly discovers the bleak, quiet snow drifting countryside has a sinister presence that they will soon encounter.
A surprisingly well-written screenplay by Steven Katz (SHADOW OF A VAMPIRE) and newbie Joe Gangemi, the dialogue rings true of the formulaic supernatural yet offers an intriguing premise interpolating Nietzchian thought (eternal recurrence) the two were students in a philosophy class and some fine moments of paranoia fueled anxiety for Blunt's heroine (is she in danger with this person or not), and although the 'ghost story' section feels a little rushed it works with the backdrop of the winter storm encroaching. Director Jacobs (who helmed the "NINE QUEENS" remake "CRIMINAL" for his long-time associates Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney's Section Eight production company (the high powered filmmakers serve as exec producers here) does a very good job of creating enough tension, sprinkled with dry humor mixed with dread employing tight editing by Lee Percy and a cool-to-the-touch cinematography by Dan Laustsen.
The better-than-average film is buoyed by excellent acting by its stars, with Brit Blunt employing an impeccable American accent and making her bitchy 'girl' (as she is only referred to at the credits' close) redeemably likable and Holmes' 'guy' switched back and forth from mensch to menace.
What is truly surprising is why the film has been neglected in marketing by Sony Pictures its distributor and why it wasn't released more appropriately in the dead of winter instead of the beginning of spring is beyond me. But if you want a decent ghost story on a secluded evening check this out.
"The Sure Thing" meets "The Twilight Zone"
Everyone loves a good ghost story and the latest installment on screen is a well-crafted suspenser that feels like "The Sure Thing" meets "The Twilight Zone" if written by Stephen King.
Set in the frost-bitten winter of a small Pennsylvania college campus days before the Christmas break, a young coed (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA's gloriously bitchy Blunt) is attempting to get back home to Delaware when her plans fall flat forcing her to chose a ride from the bulletin board to share expenses on her trek for the holidays.
Her driver is a fellow student (A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE's Holmes) whose compact sedan is overflowing with all his worldly possessions (he claims he is in between living spaces), and harboring a secret crush on the pretty yet cranky passenger.
En route the two do not hit it off at all and bicker back and forth making the tedious drive insufferable. While getting gas Holmes decides to take a detour on a snow-covered back road, claiming it'll be picture post-card perfect viewing to break up the monotony. Blunt becomes increasingly angry and demands they get back on the main highway and as they argue an oncoming car force them off the narrow path into a snow bank. With a crack in the gas tank, no food and no cell phone signal (natch) the pair suddenly discovers the bleak, quiet snow drifting countryside has a sinister presence that they will soon encounter.
A surprisingly well-written screenplay by Steven Katz (SHADOW OF A VAMPIRE) and newbie Joe Gangemi, the dialogue rings true of the formulaic supernatural yet offers an intriguing premise interpolating Nietzchian thought (eternal recurrence) the two were students in a philosophy class and some fine moments of paranoia fueled anxiety for Blunt's heroine (is she in danger with this person or not), and although the 'ghost story' section feels a little rushed it works with the backdrop of the winter storm encroaching. Director Jacobs (who helmed the "NINE QUEENS" remake "CRIMINAL" for his long-time associates Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney's Section Eight production company (the high powered filmmakers serve as exec producers here) does a very good job of creating enough tension, sprinkled with dry humor mixed with dread employing tight editing by Lee Percy and a cool-to-the-touch cinematography by Dan Laustsen.
The better-than-average film is buoyed by excellent acting by its stars, with Brit Blunt employing an impeccable American accent and making her bitchy 'girl' (as she is only referred to at the credits' close) redeemably likable and Holmes' 'guy' switched back and forth from mensch to menace.
What is truly surprising is why the film has been neglected in marketing by Sony Pictures its distributor and why it wasn't released more appropriately in the dead of winter instead of the beginning of spring is beyond me. But if you want a decent ghost story on a secluded evening check this out.
Could have been so much better
chrichtonsworld21 August 2007
A girl, unnamed, played by Emily Blunt and a guy also unnamed played by Ashton Holmes share a ride home for the holidays. Instead of doing the logic and sensible thing the guy turns of the main route because he knows a short cut. The girl tells him to go back to the highway but he refuses. What can possibly go wrong? At one point hey almost get hit by a car and swerve of the road and get stuck. They are stranded and girl is not really trusting of guy since he knows a lot about her but she doesn't know anything about him. And to make matters worse dark figures are randomly appearing who seem very off.
Normally I avoid telling people to watch trailers since they spoil too much. In this case it's one that teases and will make you excited for this film.
The trailer gave me an impression that we were in for a thrill ride of scares and twists or at least psychological terror. I know not to rely on trailers as they often are misleading and sensationalised. Still it sometimes can channel the atmosphere to the viewer. And in that regard the start of the film does deliver on what is promised. Until the scene where the car is immobilized and the main characters get stranded in the middle of nowhere. What should have been the start of a chilling experience becomes a dull and unimaginative chain of small events. The biggest problem I had with Wind Chill that there was no real threat or dread present. The characters have a lot of opportunities to leave the car and walk back to the civilized world. But they never do. They are not restricted by anything other than the cold. (I know that some will disagree, but I am purely judging on what is shown in the film.) Without real danger and creepiness Wind Chill never gets scary. Isn't that what a film like this is supposed to do? On the plus side the performances by Emily Blunt and Ashton Holmes are quite good. I wished I could say the same about the plot and the film.
Wind Chill had the potential to be compelling and terrifying but for some reason director Gregory Jacobs (Magic Mike XXL) wants to evoke something else. The mystery certainly isn't that interesting nor the horror elements that are in service of that story. Love story perhaps? Maybe there are people who can find the romance in the dynamics between guy and girl. Although realize that you are just one step away from being a creep yourself since the whole way guy went about this is downright wrong.
Overall Wind Chill is a very disappointing affair and not beautiful in the slightest. I have read some comments and reviews where people were claiming that. There is nothing beautiful about forcing a love relationship that does not exist and certainly if it leads to unnecessary accidents and dangers. So don't buy into these positive reviews.
Normally I avoid telling people to watch trailers since they spoil too much. In this case it's one that teases and will make you excited for this film.
The trailer gave me an impression that we were in for a thrill ride of scares and twists or at least psychological terror. I know not to rely on trailers as they often are misleading and sensationalised. Still it sometimes can channel the atmosphere to the viewer. And in that regard the start of the film does deliver on what is promised. Until the scene where the car is immobilized and the main characters get stranded in the middle of nowhere. What should have been the start of a chilling experience becomes a dull and unimaginative chain of small events. The biggest problem I had with Wind Chill that there was no real threat or dread present. The characters have a lot of opportunities to leave the car and walk back to the civilized world. But they never do. They are not restricted by anything other than the cold. (I know that some will disagree, but I am purely judging on what is shown in the film.) Without real danger and creepiness Wind Chill never gets scary. Isn't that what a film like this is supposed to do? On the plus side the performances by Emily Blunt and Ashton Holmes are quite good. I wished I could say the same about the plot and the film.
Wind Chill had the potential to be compelling and terrifying but for some reason director Gregory Jacobs (Magic Mike XXL) wants to evoke something else. The mystery certainly isn't that interesting nor the horror elements that are in service of that story. Love story perhaps? Maybe there are people who can find the romance in the dynamics between guy and girl. Although realize that you are just one step away from being a creep yourself since the whole way guy went about this is downright wrong.
Overall Wind Chill is a very disappointing affair and not beautiful in the slightest. I have read some comments and reviews where people were claiming that. There is nothing beautiful about forcing a love relationship that does not exist and certainly if it leads to unnecessary accidents and dangers. So don't buy into these positive reviews.
Promising and Eerie Ghost Story, but with a Disappointing Resolution
claudio_carvalho11 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
In Christmas, a female college student (Emily Blunt) accepts to share a ride home to Delaware with a stranger (Ashton Holmes). The driver tells her that they study philosophy in the same class, and they briefly discuss the definition of Nietzsche's theory of eternal recurrence. The girl tells to a friend in her cell phone that the highway was boring and the driver takes a shortcut through a nice and romantic scenic route. They are forced off the road by another car; they have a car accident and get stranded in the lonely road. When the driver is blamed and pressed by the girl, he explains that he is a shy man that had a crush on her, and used the trip to spend some time close to her. Along the night, the temperature gets colder and colder, and they are haunted by ghost of people that have died in the location.
"Wind Chill" is a promising and eerie ghost story, but with a disappointing resolution. I am not familiarized with Nietzsche's theory of eternal recurrence, the theme of the whole plot, and I found in Wikipedia that "Eternal return (also known as "eternal recurrence") is a concept which posits that the universe has been recurring, and will continue to recur in the exact same self-similar form an incomprehensible and unfathomable number of times. The basic premise is that the universe is limited in extent and contains a finite amount of matter, while time is viewed as being infinite. The universe has no starting or ending state, while the matter comprising it is constantly changing its state. The number of possible changes is finite, and so sooner or later the same state will recur." This philosophical definition explains the existence of ghosts in that deserted road living the same situations of fifty and something years before. However, it is never clear for me when the driver died: is he struggling to survive along the cold night, or did he die immediately after the accident? In the end, his ghost guides the girl back to the gas station and saves her life. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Estrada Maldita" ("Damned Road")
"Wind Chill" is a promising and eerie ghost story, but with a disappointing resolution. I am not familiarized with Nietzsche's theory of eternal recurrence, the theme of the whole plot, and I found in Wikipedia that "Eternal return (also known as "eternal recurrence") is a concept which posits that the universe has been recurring, and will continue to recur in the exact same self-similar form an incomprehensible and unfathomable number of times. The basic premise is that the universe is limited in extent and contains a finite amount of matter, while time is viewed as being infinite. The universe has no starting or ending state, while the matter comprising it is constantly changing its state. The number of possible changes is finite, and so sooner or later the same state will recur." This philosophical definition explains the existence of ghosts in that deserted road living the same situations of fifty and something years before. However, it is never clear for me when the driver died: is he struggling to survive along the cold night, or did he die immediately after the accident? In the end, his ghost guides the girl back to the gas station and saves her life. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Estrada Maldita" ("Damned Road")
Tedious and unresolved story
Aristides-29 December 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Factoids: 1.'Short cut' road used is a clearly maintained county road.Never any maintenance, police or local use? Unbelievable.2. Sound of wind didn't match very light snowfall;hardly any snow falling which undermined the isolation one is supposed to feel.3.Very cold outside but no steam when they spoke?4.What did they not turn on the car heater?5.How could the battery last so long with the lights on?6.The guy early on mentions somethings spooky; i.e. supernatural: no tire tracks from car that runs them off the road. But showing his insight, no footprints are ever mentioned when the 'ghosts' appear repeatedly.7.Though in real life not too far removed from a college-aged kid, E. Blunt appears a decade older than the character she's playing.8.Overuse, with little payoff, of spectral figures fleeting by.9.Why not start walking back on road they just drove on? Irritating and periodic time reminders showed they weren't that far from the garage.10.The garage:Her being locked mysteriously into restroom with no one hearing her yelling?Does this mean that this is a warning from the evil vibes hovering many miles down the road?Why should this "warning" just be directed at her?11.Those periodic visits from spooks ultimately go from being mildly frightening to being irritating.AND SO ON AND SO ON. Main overall complaint? Too many story devices pulled in leading to confusion and its ultimate fate, irritable I-don't-care-what-happens-to-them syndrome.
The view from www.georgevader.co.uk (drunken movie ramblings)
georgevader22 August 2007
It's a few days before the Christmas holidays when two (unnamed) students share a ride home.After taking a "short-cut" they have a serious accident and find themselves stranded in nowheresville', in the middle of a cold snap and miles from the nearest town, then the 'problems' really begin....
I have to admit I'd heard nothing about this film, in fact I'd never even heard of the title, but it proved to be a bit of a revelation.The two leads Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) and Ashton Holmes (A History Of Violence) are both very good actors and both put in good performances.The film is well paced, not letting you know too much too soon, it's a very eerie looking movie, the the darkness of the night brilliantly contrasting with the glistening snow, reminiscent of the classic "The Shining".
In an age of shock horror which has become rife in Hollywood over the past decade it nice to see a good old fashioned horror film in the fashion of say John Carpenters "The Fog" or even Peter Jackson's "The Frighteners" which it had elements that were very similar too.
A fine intelligent psychological horror film.
I have to admit I'd heard nothing about this film, in fact I'd never even heard of the title, but it proved to be a bit of a revelation.The two leads Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) and Ashton Holmes (A History Of Violence) are both very good actors and both put in good performances.The film is well paced, not letting you know too much too soon, it's a very eerie looking movie, the the darkness of the night brilliantly contrasting with the glistening snow, reminiscent of the classic "The Shining".
In an age of shock horror which has become rife in Hollywood over the past decade it nice to see a good old fashioned horror film in the fashion of say John Carpenters "The Fog" or even Peter Jackson's "The Frighteners" which it had elements that were very similar too.
A fine intelligent psychological horror film.
Nietzche's Dead of Night.
JoeytheBrit30 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Expecting the usual half-hearted horror flick that is regurgitated on a near-weekly basis by Hollywood, I was quite pleased to discover that Wind Chill is actually quite good, even though certain elements are under-developed. The writers are to be praised for devoting so much time to developing its main characters but, conversely to most horror fare, this character development is focused on at the cost of the creepier elements of the tale.
Ashton Holmes plays a vaguely nerdish college student who manages to manipulate the girl he fancies (Emily Blunt) into sharing a lift home in his wreck of a car for the Christmas break. The girl has a prickly personality to say the least, and is soon suspecting that her fellow traveller is actually a stalker. Perhaps the film's one true concession to genre stereotype is that the guy stubbornly ignores local advice to stick to the highway, choosing instead to take a snow-covered B-road, and inevitably ending up facing the wrong way in a snow bank much to his pretty companion's annoyance.
Given that much of the screen time is given to Holmes and Blunt, it's fortunate that they play off each other pretty well. The premise of the story Nietzche's theory of eternal recurrence is introduced early on in the film in a couple of throwaway lines, before the viewer is left to relate what is happening on the screen to the resonance of the theory. This is something that isn't going to be done with lots of bloody gore and stalk-and-slash techniques, which is why you'll hear anguished cries of 'it's too slow!' from the multiplex crowd. And if the gradual thawing of the couple's relationship is predictable, it is also believable and, ultimately, refuses to pander to the industry's demand for neat happy endings. This one is recommended.
Ashton Holmes plays a vaguely nerdish college student who manages to manipulate the girl he fancies (Emily Blunt) into sharing a lift home in his wreck of a car for the Christmas break. The girl has a prickly personality to say the least, and is soon suspecting that her fellow traveller is actually a stalker. Perhaps the film's one true concession to genre stereotype is that the guy stubbornly ignores local advice to stick to the highway, choosing instead to take a snow-covered B-road, and inevitably ending up facing the wrong way in a snow bank much to his pretty companion's annoyance.
Given that much of the screen time is given to Holmes and Blunt, it's fortunate that they play off each other pretty well. The premise of the story Nietzche's theory of eternal recurrence is introduced early on in the film in a couple of throwaway lines, before the viewer is left to relate what is happening on the screen to the resonance of the theory. This is something that isn't going to be done with lots of bloody gore and stalk-and-slash techniques, which is why you'll hear anguished cries of 'it's too slow!' from the multiplex crowd. And if the gradual thawing of the couple's relationship is predictable, it is also believable and, ultimately, refuses to pander to the industry's demand for neat happy endings. This one is recommended.
Not Great!
vengeance2010 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
So, I watch this film thinking it might be good & that it'll be a good watch, but sadly it wasn't.
The film follows a girl who is needing a lift from a guy so she can spend Christmas with her family in Delaware & not spend so much in traveling. But things get awry when the guy takes a detour down a wooded road only for a car to run them off road & have them crash into a ditch. Stranded in sub 0 cold temperatures, the 2 find themselves being surrounded by shadowy figures & a ghostly patrol man who is harassing them.
I found the film to be lacking any kind of actions or interest. While the character development was there & not exactly something I myself care too much about, the action was lacking & boring. The scenes jumping around didn't help with the understanding & the story was too out there. The film itself was dull & lacking any kick. The runtime was not bad at 1hr & 24mins, but the pacing didn't help matters.
Overall, it's not a great film. Just because a film like this isn't a typical horror doesn't make it great.
2/10.
The film follows a girl who is needing a lift from a guy so she can spend Christmas with her family in Delaware & not spend so much in traveling. But things get awry when the guy takes a detour down a wooded road only for a car to run them off road & have them crash into a ditch. Stranded in sub 0 cold temperatures, the 2 find themselves being surrounded by shadowy figures & a ghostly patrol man who is harassing them.
I found the film to be lacking any kind of actions or interest. While the character development was there & not exactly something I myself care too much about, the action was lacking & boring. The scenes jumping around didn't help with the understanding & the story was too out there. The film itself was dull & lacking any kick. The runtime was not bad at 1hr & 24mins, but the pacing didn't help matters.
Overall, it's not a great film. Just because a film like this isn't a typical horror doesn't make it great.
2/10.
Worth watching
utgard1421 July 2014
A college student (Emily Blunt) trying to get home for the holidays catches a ride with another student (Ashton Holmes). She becomes suspicious of him when several things he says don't add up and thinks he might be a stalker or serial killer or something. Then the two become stranded on a deserted stretch of road in the snow. Surviving each other and the elements is bad enough but they have to contend with ghosts as well.
A surprisingly well-done little ghost story starts out strong building suspense and misdirecting the audience that this might be some kind of slasher thriller where the guy chases after the girl he's obsessed with. But once it becomes clear that's not the type of movie it's going to be, it becomes more interesting and then quickly less interesting as the last half-hour or so is rife with clichés. Emily Blunt and Ashton Holmes both do well playing flawed but believable characters. She's a bitch and he's a weirdo so you really aren't sure for awhile who you're supposed to root for, if anybody. It's a good movie though and definitely worth checking out if you're interested in ghost stories.
A surprisingly well-done little ghost story starts out strong building suspense and misdirecting the audience that this might be some kind of slasher thriller where the guy chases after the girl he's obsessed with. But once it becomes clear that's not the type of movie it's going to be, it becomes more interesting and then quickly less interesting as the last half-hour or so is rife with clichés. Emily Blunt and Ashton Holmes both do well playing flawed but believable characters. She's a bitch and he's a weirdo so you really aren't sure for awhile who you're supposed to root for, if anybody. It's a good movie though and definitely worth checking out if you're interested in ghost stories.
Interesting horror, Potential for greatness, Average result
dimarinc3 January 2012
Being the horror aficionado that I am, I enjoy all kinds and can analyze each movie based on its predecessors and what it brings to the genre. Wind Chill is a movie that was on the border of being a very original horror story told in a new way, but it slightly misfires and ends up settling for mediocrity. At first, I had it figured for an elemental thriller about survival but it goes deeper. It evokes the tortured past as the story unravels. This combination is exactly what a new age horror movie needs to do to establish itself. It did come up short in a few areas. Mainly, in a movie that tries to juggle themes, you end up with two sets of slightly unsatisfying emotions. You don't get the full elemental thriller or story twists of the tortured past. The acting is done well enough, and Emily Blunt impresses in the role. Ashton Holmes plays the role of the unsure, overwhelmed male character well, but I felt the story didn't capitalize. With very few other characters, it was hard to survive with just those two personas. Though this may sounds overly critical, I felt that this movie could have been a top film and I do believe it was still very well done in its own right. Overall, everyone should at least watch this movie, however, if you don't enjoy the two main characters from the get go, find another way to spend your time.
Headlights
tom-groves23 October 2007
I rather enjoyed this movie. And, as been mentioned previously, the acting was first-rate. My only quibble: the car's headlights stay on for most of the movie. I would guess that battery would have been drained after about an hour! There also seemed to be a bit of discrepancy between the exterior of the gas station (run down), the counter (run down- and do they really sell pate and cornichons at that place) and the women's bathroom (foul). I was also intrigued by the fact that everyone buys into the fact the cop is a real cop, despite his 1950s car. No matter. It was a good attempt at something a bit different. Did it actually make it to theatrical release here in the States, or was it Direct-to -video?
worst horror movie ever
scottmartin6668 September 2007
this movie. to be honest. sucked donkey balls. it doesn't even deserve to be called a horror movie. and you know a lot of thought was put into a movie when the names of the main characters are "guy" and "girl". it's absolute garbage!. if you were thinking of renting this movie. save yourself the trouble and rent a good horror movie. hell even dead silence was better than this. don't get me wrong the basic idea of the movie sounded awesome. that's why i rented it. but to be portrayed in such a terrible way ruined it. and like. how did "girl" know about the radio thing in such detail out of nowhere? it was bull! and what was up with the random frozen guy that pukes a snake? that was totally unnecessary. in summary. i'm going to kill myself because of how bad this movie was.
Solid ghost story
dar041710 October 2019
The Emperor's New Clothes
roald-112 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
How boring can a plot be concocted? A couple stuck in a car in the darkness and snow quarreling during most of the film, can it get worse? Well, in "Phone Booth" and "Cast Away" it was only one person, but at least they had some other scenery than a snowy road. And how many attempts at horror films have started with a dubious "shortcut"? Was it "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" in 1974, or wasn't that a shortcut? For us who have to drive through winter darkness several months every year, getting stuck in the snow is something of the most tedious traumas we can experience, and we certainly don't want to pay for a movie ticket to watch other people doing it. With or without ghosts.
Not a masterpiece but better than expected if you like 'spooky'
richard-81012 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this with very modest expectations but as can often be the case if you're not expecting too much, came away having enjoyed it. The opening is not promising - the girl is acutely irritating and had I been the poor guy giving her a ride, I'd have flung her out of the car pretty early on - OK, I'd have stopped and asked her to get out. Once you get past the early stages and the plot proper gets underway, I have to admit to being quite impressed. OK, I'm a sucker for ghost stories and spooky movies generally but this I did find quite spooky. I also liked the way that the movie avoided a 'cop out' happy ending. Not a great film maybe, but better than much of the recent genre and certainly worth catching for some jolts on a dark evening.
Interesting at very first, but then it takes a nosedive
nyc100128 August 2007
I really enjoyed the first 30 minutes -- there's lots of talking and the writer is taking his time building the 2 main characters. Unfortunately several things go wrong. The movie looks good enough in the vein of the X-Files TV show (dark and misty and lots of shadows) but the few special effects that exist in the film look especially terrible. But far worse is the story-telling we get from mid-point onwards. I wont give anything away. The story we get is unsurprising, somewhat random, and even rather dull.
There are a bunch of X-Files episodes that are miles better than anything this movie attempts to do with a ghost story.
There are a bunch of X-Files episodes that are miles better than anything this movie attempts to do with a ghost story.
A turning point in contemporary horror?
jeanrobie4 May 2007
It's a shame more horror fans either aren't or can't see this movie, because it may very well signify a shift in the contemporary horror film (as of Spring 2007, when it was released).
The first "Saw" movie is usually seen as heralding a new direction and a new popularity in horror when it was first released and, despite the fact that the movie is principally a really twisty whodunit, it spawned dozens upon dozens of movies based on its essential formula: people (usually teenagers, often teen actors on their summer hiatus from their WB TV shows) in peril threatened with ghastly violence shown explicitly. The studios put any number of old movies into the remake machine in order to retrofit them with the new formula--and an R rating--to the point where these movies had the repetitive predictability of a Catholic mass.
Besides being bored with this genre, the massacres at Virginia Tech, I think, forced people to look to a new incarnation of horror--although, to be honest, I think current events have only a momentary impact on the movies. And that's where "Wind Chill" comes in.
"Wind Chill" is a movie which will disappoint you if you're hoping to see "Hostel"--a type of movie some people have compared to porn in its lack of substance apart from its depictions of explicit physical acts (in this case, violence). It's a thoughtful movie which takes the traditional elements of the most primitive horror movies and re-imagines them for our time. Think of the old James Whale haunted house movie, "The Old Dark House," and compare it to "Wind Chill" and you'll see how our oldest fears are presented anew--as if to say those old fears are never eliminated. This is the archetypal basis of the entire genre.
The movie isn't perfect--it's too talky, the exposition is piled on in the last third, the scares are rarely effective, and the resolution isn't quite plausible. But I thought it was fun and weird and full of unexpected depth.
I'm not certain in which direction "Wind Chill" is pointing the horror movie--maybe in the direction of the late 60s/early 70s "just slightly off" horror like "Rosemary's Baby" or the old "Night Gallery" TV series--rather than in the direction of grind house horror. But it's a worthwhile experiment.
The first "Saw" movie is usually seen as heralding a new direction and a new popularity in horror when it was first released and, despite the fact that the movie is principally a really twisty whodunit, it spawned dozens upon dozens of movies based on its essential formula: people (usually teenagers, often teen actors on their summer hiatus from their WB TV shows) in peril threatened with ghastly violence shown explicitly. The studios put any number of old movies into the remake machine in order to retrofit them with the new formula--and an R rating--to the point where these movies had the repetitive predictability of a Catholic mass.
Besides being bored with this genre, the massacres at Virginia Tech, I think, forced people to look to a new incarnation of horror--although, to be honest, I think current events have only a momentary impact on the movies. And that's where "Wind Chill" comes in.
"Wind Chill" is a movie which will disappoint you if you're hoping to see "Hostel"--a type of movie some people have compared to porn in its lack of substance apart from its depictions of explicit physical acts (in this case, violence). It's a thoughtful movie which takes the traditional elements of the most primitive horror movies and re-imagines them for our time. Think of the old James Whale haunted house movie, "The Old Dark House," and compare it to "Wind Chill" and you'll see how our oldest fears are presented anew--as if to say those old fears are never eliminated. This is the archetypal basis of the entire genre.
The movie isn't perfect--it's too talky, the exposition is piled on in the last third, the scares are rarely effective, and the resolution isn't quite plausible. But I thought it was fun and weird and full of unexpected depth.
I'm not certain in which direction "Wind Chill" is pointing the horror movie--maybe in the direction of the late 60s/early 70s "just slightly off" horror like "Rosemary's Baby" or the old "Night Gallery" TV series--rather than in the direction of grind house horror. But it's a worthwhile experiment.
Nice Little Slice of Suspense...
terrible27 October 2008
Sometimes it's all in the setting... We've all been traveling down a winterly, snow-swept country road and wondering what would happen if the car died? Right? Well if you haven't, you just might enjoy this moody little slice of suspense. I found "Wind Chill" to be just that, and enjoyed it far more then I was expecting to. The setting really did it for me, as it weaves a dreadful feeling of isolation around an already uncomfortable story. There is just something about a winter landscape that paints a vivid picture in horror films, and always provokes uncertainty. The acting is fantastically delivered by Emily Blunt and Ashton Holmes. The duo bring a mismatched set of circumstances to the predicament at hand, and leave the viewer unnerved at the thought of what will happen next. I also enjoy watching Martin Donovan, whom should be used more often and in bigger roles. More then once, I was on the edge of my seat and dreading what would happen next. The story as a whole, doesn't always seem complete, and it's quite easy to figure out what the big twist will be, but director Gregory Jacobs seems to know how to tell a good story, regardless of the script's flaws. Not a bloodbath, nor a boring torture flick, it simply uses the shadows to sell the scare, which works from time to time.
cheap wanna be rip off of dead end
buvara200029 February 2008
Cheap, ugly, pointless. This movie in a word sucks. I fell a sleep watching it several times. I was astonished by the barrage of bad f/x, lousy acting and poor story telling. Be afraid, very afraid of this movie. It will totally waste about an hour and a half of your life. I just feel like i should get some sort of compensation for torturing myself with this abomination of a film. If i could do any kind of web design i would make a site dedicated to warning people about this "HORROR". One thing that could have slightly improved this was if the girl took her clothes off at any point. it is cold in the movie, but she could have shown something more than her nice belly, which by the way for me was the highlight of this poor project.
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