Review: The Windmill (2016)

[Mark R. Leeper]

THE WINDMILL (THE WINDMILL MASSACRE)
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)

[Note: this review contains minor spoilers.]

CAPSULE: Eight or so tourists, each flawed, take the
same one-day sightseeing excursion from Amsterdam.
When the bus breaks down they have to deal with friction
among themselves and what may be a supernatural menace
from a nearby windmill that may be a legendary evil
place from folklore. Nick Jongerius co-produces,
co-authors, and directs this rather enjoyable piece of
horror being released in time for Halloween. The story
has a strong feel of the old Amicus anthology films.
There are not many Dutch horror films and this is one
of the better ones. Certainly it beats that other Dutch
"classic" THE HUMAN CENTIPEDE. Rating: +2 (-4 to +4)
or 7/10

The bus driver says, "This isn't hell, it's Holland!" Well, it is
actually some of both. That is the bus driver from a Happy Holland
tour. The guests on the tour each seem to be coming from an
unpleasant past. Each seems to have his own horrors to face. And
the horrors they are facing seem to deal with different facets of
the supernatural and may now connect to an evil windmill of
folklore.

Jennifer is a nanny from Australia until her employer finds out she
is using false names to evade the law and her current employer is
going to turn her over to the police. She attacks him and escapes.
She decides to hide from the police for a day by taking a one-day
tour to see the Dutch countryside. She is just one of eight people
on the tour and flashbacks tell us that most have something to
hide. It may be odd to have so many such people on one tour bus.
But the supernatural may be taking a hand in the proceedings.

The whole feel of THE WINDMILL could have fit rather comfortably
with the British horror films of the late sixties and early
seventies. In fact, the whole story could have been the connective
tissue of an Amicus anthology film of that period. The only
feature of THE WINDMILL to tell us we are in the 21st century is
that Amicus avoided using blood, and THE WINDMILL has the graphic
style and the gore that has become common in horror films. It also
has sequences to please the fans of the slasher genre.

THE WINDMILL was directed by Nick Jongerius and written by Chris W.
Mitchell, Suzy Quid, and Jongerius. Jongerius also co-produced the
film as he co-produced FRANKENSTEIN'S ARMY.

So many horror films seem padded out, trying to get to feature-
length by adding another killing or some useless detail that does
not really go anywhere. THE WINDMILL seems to be a little short
for the story it is telling. Its story is complete in its 86
minutes, but the telling seems to be a little rushed.

In Europe this film was released under the title THE WINDMILL
MASSACRE. Somehow that title accentuates the slasher violence. In
my opinion if one knows it is a horror film THE WINDMILL sounds
more ominous. Under either title I rate the film a +2 on the -4 to
+4 scale or 7/10. THE WINDMILL will be in theaters on October 28th
and on VOD and iTunes on October 25th. Just in time for Halloween.

Film Credits:
<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2923088/combined>

What others are saying:
<https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/771449153>


Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 2016 Mark R. Leeper