Cold Wind Blowing is Canadian horror film written and directed by Dionne Copeland. This film is centered around Nomi (Angela Way), her brother Thomas (Cameron Peterson), and their friends taking a Christmas vacation to their great uncles’ cabin in the woods. This film really tackles what it’s like dealing with divorce, sibling drama, betrayal, loss, and growth. Nomi and Thomas are children of divorce so instead of spending the Holliday’s at home they get their friends to join them in a getaway.
This film did a great job at setting up the dynamic and chemistry of the characters within its first act. The friends who went along with the siblings were Casey (M.J. Kehler) who is Nomi’s best friend and ex-girlfriend, Samantha (Nalani Wakita) the love interest of Thomas, Max (Alexander Lowe) the ex-boyfriend of Nomi, and Nick(Griffin Cork) the roommate of Nick and Thomas. On the way to the cabin they all stop at a gas station to get some food and the man working there is telling a story of some creepy sounds in the wind and screams that he heard at the same place they will be staying at so before they could get to their destination things were already feeling tense. As the film progresses you start to see everything Nomi is dealing with unfold. The emotional collapse of Nomi adds a tender, yet intense, level of emotion to the film.
While Nomi is carrying all of that weight all the things the man at the gas station said would happen to was happening. Nomi has a weird black out and sees some very weird things flash in her head after an altercation with Max and that really sets up where things go with Nomi. This movie made it easy to forget that it was also a horror movie because of all the elements it added in with the hardships Nomi was facing. Cold Wind marvelously humanizing the story’s protagonist.
So now we will arrive at the horror, on top of the chilling and creepy sounds of the wind there was a creature stalking the young adults, The Wolf. The Wolf is designs to be shaped like a human but its hands look like vultures claws and it’s hard is a skull with horns. The first time we see The Wolf is after Nomi and Thomas have a fight and Thomas runs off and Nomi goes to find him and when she does they get attacked by The Wolf. Thomas gets the worst of the attack which leads to the group calling for help while Thomas fight for his life. The help didn’t make it cause The Wolf got him too. As this movie makes its way to its end you see Nomi dealing with everything.
She’s dealing with her best friend betraying her by sleeping with her ex, Sam blaming her for Thomas’s Injuries, and the unfortunate death of Thomas. Nomi has enough and he grabs an axe and goes out and finds The Wolf and kills it. Which was a place i didn’t not see Nomi’s development going. Nomi had everything weighing her down and then The Wolf comes in and causes her to finally lose it by taking her brother from her. But not only did Nomi rid everyone of the Wolf, she rid herself of her friends when she takes the car and leaves them at the cabin leaving all of her problems and struggles behind.
This movie took a twist I didn’t expect. Most movies with a group of young adults in a cabin normally leads to the death of all except one. This film also had some amazing visuals and brought a crisp and warm feel that a Christmas time horror film should have. Some the acting in this film could’ve been better but for the most part everyone delivered. I don’t have much to complain about on this one.
RORSCHACH RATING
And more importantly, if you or someone you know is struggling with suicide, addiction, self-harm or depression - please free feel to reach out. Use any our resources, call the suicide lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or text 741-741.