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The Windigo

The Windigo

An ancient demon is unleashed!

202485 minMidcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Director
Gabe Torres
Starring
Casey Camp-Horinek, Fivel Stewart, Tonantzin Carmelo, Troy James

An ancient Chippewa demon, the WINDIGO, is resurrected by a Native American teenager and his grandmother to protect their family after a run-in with back-woods meth dealers. They soon discover that the creature’s lust for killing cannot be controlled. As each killing bonds the teen and the Windigo ever closer, the family must find a way to break the curse before all of them become the blood-thirsty creature’s next victims.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Windigo?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Windigo streaming on Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Windigo?

The Windigo earns 2 badges, led by Cult Classic and Award Nominee.

  • Reception
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Windigo worth watching?

The Windigo's Midcredits score is the 40th percentile of all films, from 1.4K ratings across 4 sources. 54% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

40th percentile

Better received than 40% of films

82nd percentile among Horror41st percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)22nd
Approval (how many liked it)58th

52 /100

22nd percentile of all films

64th percentile among Horror25th percentile among 2020s

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

54% liked it

58th percentile of all films

88th percentile among Horror59th percentile among 2020s
54% rated it 7–1046% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 8 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

53rd percentile

1.4K ratings across platforms

48th percentile among Horror51st percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 3% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$5.6K
Domestic gross$12K
Worldwide gross$12K

13th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree the film features a low-budget creature feature with a Native American folklore premise, but fans find it charming while detractors call it amateurish.

Fans praised

  • authentic Native American cast and cultural representation
  • strong practical creature effects and design
  • engaging atmosphere and cinematography

Detractors panned

  • cartoonish acting and wooden dialogue
  • predictable plot and clichéd horror tropes
  • laughable creature costume and poor CGI

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive65

praised by fans as atmospheric and visually stirring, detractors note bad lighting

AtmosphereDivisive60

fans find it moody and immersive, detractors say it lacks tension

ActingDivisive55

divisive; fans praise Marco Fuller and Fivel Stewart, detractors call performances cartoonish

Effects and spectacleDivisive50

fans love practical creature effects, detractors call costume laughable and CGI poor

PacingDivisive45

fans find it brisk, detractors say it drags

Plot and storyDivisive40

predictable and formulaic, but fans find the premise engaging

CharactersDivisive40

one-dimensional characters, grandmother stands out as authentic

OriginalityDivisive35

derivative of 90s horror, but fresh Native American angle noted

Watch experience

What is The Windigo like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It leaves you bittersweet.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseThrilling
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its horror premise straight, with sincere performances and a brooding atmosphere, despite some critics noting clichés.
The rideThe build-up of the demon's uncontrollable killing and the curse's escalation create growing dread and tension, peaking in the final attempt to break the curse.
StructureThe synopsis and reviews indicate a conventional beginning-middle-end structure without nonlinear or experimental devices.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetUnsettling
Why it leaves you this wayThe film ends with a cautionary, possibly emotional resolution that leaves viewers with mixed feelings and lingering unease.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA teenager summons a demon to protect his family from meth dealers, but the creature becomes uncontrollable and bonds with him, forcing the family to break the curse. The core conflict is the monster's predatory rampage.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% (this title) · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalFamily bondsAddiction · 1% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe family's immediate need to survive drug-dealer violence drives the plot, but the uncontrollable demon introduces a second survival threat, while loyalty to family motivates the risky resurrection.
StanceThe film warns against summoning uncontrollable forces to solve problems, as the demon's lust for killing endangers the family and community.

The world

ContemporaryRuralWildernessHorror supernatural
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Max Lombardo
Settinga remote back-woods community near Native American land
MusicCredited composer Max Lombardo likely provides a brooding orchestral score typical of low-budget horror.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Windigo?

Cast

Casey Camp-Horinek
as Grandmother
Fivel Stewart
as Bree
Tonantzin Carmelo
as Claire
Troy James
as Windigo
Brian Krause
as Sheriff Bradley Elkins
Adam Shalzi
as Ben
Griffin Powell-Arcand
as Kevin
Justin Mane
as Tuck
Tatanka Means
as Ogichidaa
Marco Fuller
as Ry

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Windigo?

Movies like The Windigo include Rawhead Rex (1986), Dark Was the Night (2014) and The Messengers (2007). Of the 12 closest matches, several are creature features, and most are supernatural horror films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

6 of these 12 share its story type: folk horror. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Windigo?

842 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: folk horror. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.