The Wind

The Wind, a horror western film from 2018, directed by Emma Tammi and written by Teresa Sutherland, immerses audiences into a stark and harsh landscape brimming with strange, ominous forces. Starring Caitlin Gerard, Julia Goldani Telles, and Ashley Zukerman, the film intertwines elements of supernatural suspense with the haunting isolation of the American frontier.

The story is set in the late 1800s on the Western frontier, where the vast solitude creates a suspenseful backdrop to this chilling tale. As seen through the eyes of our main character Lizzy Macklin, portrayed by Caitlin Gerard, it’s a world where extreme vastness coupled with tedious isolation breeds paranoia and despair.

Lizzy and her husband, Isaac, portrayed by Ashley Zukerman, live in a small cabin where the only sights are the expansive plains and the relentless gusty winds that seem to carry mystifying whispers. In this environment, we witness Lizzy’s grit and resilience. Part of the appeal is the realistic depiction of the harsh lifestyle endured by Western frontier pioneers, women in particular. This is not a film which romanticizes the 'Old West' but rather portrays the hardship and solitude of life on the open plains.

As the story unfolds, viewers are introduced to another couple, Emma and Gideon Harper, played by Julia Goldani Telles and Dylan McTee, who decide to settle close by, bringing about a change in dynamic. Emma's timid and naive demeanor contrasts with Lizzy's stern resolve, capturing an interesting dynamic between pioneer women of varying sturdiness.

The Wind is structurally segmented, moving back and forth between different periods seamlessly, creating an intriguing narrative form. The past and present start to bleed into each other and blurring the lines between reality and fanaticism as Lizzy's paranoia grows.

Visually, The Wind is a stunning cinematic experience. The desolate beauty of the open frontier is expertly captured by Lyn Moncrief's cinematography. The constant presence of the wind, both unheard and seen, adds to the unnerving atmosphere of the film. It is not just a natural element, but a character in itself, carrying threat and foreshadowing unexplained misfortune.

The performances in The Wind are exceptional. Caitlin Gerard is brilliant in her portrayal of Lizzy, a resilient yet increasingly tormented woman grappling with the supernatural. Julia Goldani Telles convincingly plays the naive and delicate Emma. Ashley Zukerman’s commendable portrayal of Isaac supports Lizzy's narrative well, actuating the polarity between their perspectives.

In terms of sound and set design, they both impeccably contribute to building the suspense and encapsulating the audience's attention. The film's score by Ben Lovett is eerily melodic, highlighting the empty loneliness of the frontier and adding to the disconcerting atmosphere. The careful and precise sound engineering creates a suffocating environment of tension, highlighting the silence between the wind's howls.

The Wind undermines the conventional horror genre by deliberating grounding its terror in broad daylight on the open plains, taking away the comfort of hiding its horrors in the dark. The lack of physical places to hide builds the suspense and terror in Lizzy’s mind. Emma Tammi's directorial vision takes the viewer into the depths of psychological terror and doesn't let go until the very end. It is truly a haunting take on psychological horror.

In conclusion, The Wind is a tense slow-burner that weaves together elements of the supernatural with a rigorously realistic portrayal of frontier isolation. It effectively uses its natural environment to bring forth an eerie and unsettling atmosphere that resonates through beautiful visuals and resonant sounds. The performances, particularly Caitlin Gerard's, are praiseworthy, as is director Emma Tammi's mastery in elevating a psychological horror that's both captivating and terrifying.

To fully appreciate The Wind, you must surrender to its brooding pace and let the chilling gust take you on a sinister journey exploring the boundaries of human sanity and the unseen terrors lurking in the isolation of the frontier. Recommended to those viewers who appreciate a psychological thrill produced by intense performances and a shrewdly crafted atmospheric tale.