Skip to content

THE WINDMILL (FrightFest 2016)

Written By:

Jonathan Anderson
windmillreview

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
 

You May Also Like...

still from titane film by julia ducournau, who has set her third film, titled alpha

TITANE And RAW Filmmaker Sets Her Third Film

French filmmaker Julia Ducournau should be a name well-known to any self-respecting horror fan, the mind behind the cannibal film Raw and the wild, genre-defying Titane. And in some good
Read More
godzilla x kong filmmaker adam wingard has upcoming film onslaught scooped up by A24. Still from The New Empire

A24 Scores Adam Wingard’s Action-Horror ONSLAUGHT

A24 has come out on top of an auction to pick up Onslaught, an action thriller directed by Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire filmmaker Adam Wingard, which he’s co-writing
Read More
louis leterrier to direct and produce sci-fi horror feature 11817

FAST X Filmmaker To Direct Sci-Fi Horror Film 11817

Fast X and Transporter filmmaker Louis Leterrier has been tapped to direct and produce the sci-fi horror film 11817, based on a script by Matthew Robinson (The Invention of Lying,
Read More

Emily Booth Teams Up with NYX at HorrorConUK

Genre legend and all-round icon Emily Booth will be joining forces with free-to-air TV channel NYX UK at this year’s HorrorConUK, which takes place at Magna, Sheffield on May 11th
Read More
kristen stewart to star in vampire thriller flesh of the gods. still from twilight franchise

Kristen Stewart, Oscar Isaac To Star In Vamp Thriller FLESH OF THE GODS

Kristen Stewart and Oscar Isaac will star in vampire thriller Flesh of the Gods, the next project from Mandy filmmaker (and STARBURST favourite) Panos Cosmatos. Adam McKay is aboard to produce the feature with
Read More

Get Ready for Take-Off With the SUPER WINGS: MAXIMUM SPEED Trailer

Animated TV spin-off Super Wings: Maximum Speed is heading to cinemas! Check out the trailer below… Synopsis: Young airplane Jet is proud to be the fastest in the world, but
Read More