Australian girl Jennifer (Charlotte Beaumont – Broadchurch) runs away from home, and her past, and ends up on a coach trip in the Netherlands. She’s joined by a group of people all with a murky past of their own, revealed throughout the course of the movie. It’s soon very clear why they’re all there.
The coach breaks down in the middle of the night in the countryside somewhere, near an old windmill. As they take refuge, the driver recounts the tale of ‘The Miller’, a devil worshipper who once killed the locals and ground their bones instead of grain. Before you can say ‘Miller Time’, guess who shows up and starts gruesomely picking off the tourists…
There’s a decent cast of characters, the most recognisable of which is arguably Nicholas (Noah Taylor from Game of Thrones and Edge of Tomorrow). If you’re wondering where you’ve seen Douglas (Patrick Baladi) before, it’s Neil Godwin from The Office (more recently seen in Stella and Marcella). Given that many people are catching up on the series before watching Ricky Gervais’s new Brent movie, the timing and casting couldn’t have been better for the filmmakers.
The film is timed well – nothing feels dragged out or wasted and the pace is pretty quick. The kills are creative and gory and a pleaser for fans of the slasher horror genre, and The Miller doesn’t disappoint. Think Jason Voorhees on holiday in the Netherlands. There’s also possibly the best line you’ll hear in a horror film this year – “This Isn’t Hell, this is Holland” – wisely being used as the film’s tagline.
Overall, an enjoyable film in an unlikely but imaginative setting. The legends of horror can welcome The Miller with open, bloody arms. He’s a great addition to the likes of Jason and Freddy and deserves a sequel.
THE WINDMILL / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR: NICK JONGERIUS / SCREENPLAY: CHRIS W. MITCHELL, SUZY QUID / STARRING: CHARLOTTE BEAUMONT, NOAH TAYLOR, PATRICK BALADI, BART KLEVER, ADAM TOMAS WRIGHT, TANROH ISHIDA / RELEASE DATE: TBC
