Windcroft (2007) User Reviews

Too many twists made a tornado of "bad"

[aarpcats · 4/10 · 22 November 2021]

A standard "who is the real crazy" plot sends a troubled man and his dumb as rocks wife to the farm he inherited his father. There they encounter his childhood friend, who happens to be a beautiful young woman.

The story itself isn't that bad. It takes is down a respectable series of detours before it gets down to business. But the business isn't nearly as interesting as the screenwriter wants it to be. It's all something we have seen before, and all we want is for it to be over,

A good editor could have fixed the pacing. A better actress could have made me feel less homicidal about the idiotic and simpering wife. More back story about the job could have fixed the plot holes about the lead's relationship with his job. A shorter script could have chopped the parts that were like watching paint dry. More outdoors scenes could have made the setting seem more farm and less like a suburban house.

Filmmakers- don't give up. Get a more experienced director and a good script doctor.

A Very Average Attempt At Thrills

[chicagopoetry · 5/10 · 27 February 2009]

I think at some point this movie had potential but that potential mostly slipped away. What it lacks is subtlety. Sure, the music is eerie, foreboding and urgent, but the problem is that the music never stops, from beginning to end, even when nothing creepy or urgent is happening, so by the time the stuff that is suppose to be scary does start happening, it all just sounds like muzak or a high school kid strumming on his guitar in his bedroom. The plot is pretty confusing and the main character's transformation from Mr. Normal into Mr. Hyde happens suddenly without foreshadowing, and even the crazy woman jumping out of the darkness at the end is so poorly timed that it doesn't induce any shock value. Windcroft isn't a total waste of time for a rainy Sunday afternoon if you've seen just about everything else that's out there.

Another less than equivalent of "The Shining"

[jordondave-28085 · 4/10 · 17 August 2023]

(2007) Windcroft HORROR

Co-produced, co-written and directed by Evan Meszaros that has John (Joe Ryan) who has learned of his fathers death, lead his already married son, Murry (Ray Wasik) to visit an isolated farm. The movie then dwells on his odd behavior before turning on to his wife whose trying to have a baby, but before that, he meets with an old female school chum who takes care of the farm but who is also demented as well and the film never fully explains it either. All it is, is another poor variation of Kubrick's interpretation of "The Shining" except that this mad character is not indeed interesting in comparison to Jack Nicholson's performance and Kubrick's direction!

Do not miss this one!

[iamthecheese77 · 29 November 2008]

I attended the New York City premiere of this film the other night. To put it simply, this was an absolutely intriguing work of cinematic achievement! The fact that this was the debut of writer and director Evan Meszaros is even more astonishing! Indeed, this is an auspicious beginning to what will surely be a highly successful career in cinema. Meszaros offers a fresh vision and voice to the medium that has been lacking in modern times. I greatly anticipate more thought-provoking, entertaining work that will undoubtedly ensue from this filmmaker.

The performances from the actors were brilliant and awe-inspiring! Monica Knight, who plays Mindy, delivers a superlative performance while masterfully conveying the subtle and unspoken torment that lies under the surface waiting to rear its ugly head at any moment. Indeed, from her very first appearance, Knight brilliantly imparts the unsettling nature of the family and farm, Windcroft, with her adroit utilization of mere mannerisms. It is an absolutely skillful performance that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats before ever truly knowing why.

The part of the female protagonist , Diane, is played by Vanessa Daniels. Daniels is perfect as the unwitting victim unsuspectingly brought into a web of horror and deceit that has spanned generations. Her ingenious ability to convey innocence and good-hearted naivety is a magnificent contrast to the darker elements of the film. This is truly a heart-wrenching performance that will unquestionably usurp the heart of any audience!

It is not surprising to learn of the numerous awards that have been bestowed upon this film. Windcroft was named the Best Picture by the Fright Night Film Festival where it also won Best Director, for Evan Meszaros, and Best Actress, for Monica Knight. The Salento Film Festival also awarded Monica Knight with Best Actress while acknowledging the film as having Best Cinematography. Moreover, the Tenerife International Film Festival named Evan Meszaros Best Director while nominating the film for various other awards.

In short, it was a very inspiring evening. I will definitely purchase this film as soon as it is released on DVD. In the meantime, if anyone knows of any other projects this director has done or is working on, please let me know. Thanks!

Anthony

C R AP x 100 = 100% crap

[wwwdesigners · 1/10 · 26 February 2009]

This was too awful for words! The music was horrific throughout. The acting was abysmal for the most part. The plot was hidden until the last 15 minutes of the, dare I call it a film.

This was akin to 65 minutes of watching paint dry and wondering when the plot would start to 15 minutes of (insert any crap slice n' dice gore fest title here).

For the people who raved... OMG.... start watching some real films. Real stars. Real acting. Real plots. Real editing. Real music. Then come back and realize what asses you made of yourselves with your great ratings on this piece of schlock. I mean to each their own, BUT BUT BUT this film had not one shred of creditability to which one single star could be awarded.

What a waste of time.

[tammysilvu · 1/10 · 25 March 2009]

This movie was a complete waste of time. I have seen my share of bad movies, but this one takes the cake. Worst movie i have ever saw in all my years. The people who say beware of no plot, are 100% correct. How dare someone comment saying they enjoyed this movie?, Whats that all about? Windcroft is a complete windcrap at stated by some other user here. I have never reviewed a movie, and this will more than likely be my last, but this movie had to have been shot in about 3 hours. Bad movie, bad movie. This movie will surely find its way to the $2 movie bin at Target. Even then you will still be getting cheating. Can't believe I kept watching after the first hour of nothing. This movie was bad all the way up to the credits, from start to finish.

WOW....and not a good wow

[xandraxal13 · 2/10 · 1 March 2009]

Easily one of the worst movies I have ever seen. I love indie films. but one of the requirements of a good film is a plot. This movie has almost none. The building of the suspense was very well done, but there was absolutely no explanation for where the movie ended up. You sit through 80 minutes of slow moving, so-so dialog to be rewarded with an ending utterly confusing and abrupt. An extra five minutes would have been sufficient to tie everything together, instead we are left in the dark as to how everything relates. The scenery in the movie was quite nice, but thats about where the good points end. I wouldn't recommend this movie to people I don't like, much less anyone else.

The worst movie I've ever seen.

[mark-detroit · 1/10 · 28 February 2009]

This film is so saturated with bad acting, cheesy attempts at tension building, crap music, and almost no plot. If you have to watch this film, watch the last 15 minutes. The rest of the movie is a very long horrible attempt at saying "Hey nice lady, your husband is a sister raping murdering nut job, and his sister is crazy too. You should go get a divorce, but first literally run for life." All the good reviews on here are so very obviously written by people affiliated with the film. They should be really be tossed onto a pile of hay-covered barbed wire for making this cinematic abortion. I'm actually feeling cursed for not being blind.

Save Yourself...and DO NOT WATCH this movie

[imajamoke · 1/10 · 2 March 2009]

This movie completely and absolutely stinks...possibly the WORST movie I have ever seen. The yellow ribbons on its cover must be fake, as there is no way this could win an award...any award. I do not leave comments often, but this movie was so very bad that I was compelled to share. Go watch something else…anything else. So to meet my ten line limit and to help the community I will list why it is so very bad: 1. acting 2. acting, in case you missed my first comment 3. filming, I'd swear this was filmed by a Best Buy Mini DV camcorder 4. plot, oh, I still don't know what it was... 5. length of movie, you hope it can't get worse and it does 6. writing, the lines are so one-dimensional and poorly constructed 7. cinematography, cut and paste…again, with maybe 2 Mini DV camcorders 8. this should be enough to set you straight, if not…you can't say I did not warn you! -Ima

10 lines about "Windcroft"

[TenLineReview · 7/10 · 6 March 2009]

Build and release thriller that caught me off guard.

Strong acting from cast of unknowns, at least the leads - supporting characters weak.

Photography of beautiful landscapes was risky for thriller, but it worked - like "The Shining" but more scenery.

Script was overwritten at moments but the story was strong.

It claims to be low-budget, but there were aerial shots and coyotes and a polished look.

Slow pace, especially in beginning, but it all builds evenly to a frantic ending.

The music was eerie - acoustic with digital effects that worked for many scenes.

The subject matter was unsettling at times, my lady-friend squirmed at some points, but was not over the top.

For a "thriller" it wasn't really very scary - it was more creepy and disturbing, reminding me of a 1960s suspense film but with real violence.

Recommended for cold, depressing nights or rainy afternoons.

Save Yourself

[twelve-house-books · 1/10 · 14 November 2021]

Vanessa Daniels, I think her name is, is a good actor. Very expressive. But this is a disaster of a film with a plot as old as the hills. Incest in the family history, and the wife hasn't been told. Poor cinematography that looks a lot like soap opera shooting--no subtlety. And the music is all wrong. Save yourself two hours of your precious time and skip this tragedy.

A 4 Rating is V Unfair, as This is Definitely a Love it Or Hate it Suspense-fest. If you liked a movie like Haute Tension, then definitely watch this.

[supadude2004 · 8/10 · 20 March 2009]

If ever there was a love it or hate it suspense movie, it is Windcroft. But given that it is 4/10 at the time of my writing (with only 99 votes) it definitely looks like the "hate it" camp are winning. Just don't let its awful rating put you off. For this is in many ways an excellent movie which keeps you guessing (if you give it the time for its slow suspense to build); however, I'd say that you have to find yourself with an interest in its characters within the first 20 minutes or you will probably be annoyed by it ultimately.

When someone wrote that this was like a cross between the shining and Wuthering heights, they weren't far off the mark. For it definitely has elements of both in it.

Having said that, I don't wish to say too much more about it at present as I don't wish to give anything away. But it certainly deserves more than its current meagre 4/10 rating. The movie's direction, acting and screenplay were all first rate. Yet some of the complainers write that the movie is not explained and therefore it is rubbish. Well why does madness need an explanation always? Sometimes some people are insane and they are very good at hiding that insanity within themselves until...

By the way, I am not someone who ever enjoys b grade horror movies and still very much recommend this for those who enjoyed a movie such as 'Haute Tension', or, 'Ils' (aka Them).

Average to good

[dawson1973 · 6/10 · 9 March 2009]

I was pleasantly surprised with this film, as its 4.4 rating isn't too hot. The characters at first annoyed me slightly, but I was intrigued as I could feel something building up. In fact the main character is rather odd but there may be a reason for that as the story unfolds. I would describe this film as a thriller with some psychology thrown in. It soon becomes apparent that there is more to this than just a trip to the family farm, and it will keep you gripped.

As the film unfolds some odd things become clear and its not clever but somehow very enjoyable.

Persist with it and you will enjoy, there isn't a huge cast but there doesn't need to be

I quite liked it and its better than its rating at the moment.

Porno, without the porn.

[Momright · 1/10 · 25 March 2009]

This movie was awful, it was like watching a porno movie without the porn. I was waiting for Ron Jeremy to show up. Seriously, No Plot. I couldn't believe that someone would try and pass this off as a movie. The music was cheesy, acting was terrible, and worst of all the plot was horrible. A 2 year old must have written this movie. If you have ever been exposed to any types of entertainment you will hate this movie. If you enjoy watching paint dry, then you may enjoy this movie. Save yourself the headache, this movie isn't worth it. Who ever directed this movie doesn't have any career in film making. Sorry. This was by far the worst movie ever made. The awards at the top are even fake, zoom in on the movie cover and you will see that they don't even have a source. What a pathetic attempt at trying to make a dime off people. 2 Thumbs down, all the way down.

Worst Movie ever, hands down.

[bigcuz757 · 1/10 · 25 March 2009]

Just to warn you viewers, all of the great reviews for this movie are all from people who stand to profit from this movie. I rented this movie based on the number of stars from this site and the other reviews and found out how stupid it was the hard way.

This movie is not interesting at all!! The acting is disturbingly bad, the music sounds worst than cheesy porn music, and the camera used must have been some cheap disposable video camera. Windcroft lacks a plot, acting, scary scenes, everything imaginable. I have seen school kids perform plays that are more interesting and have a better storyline.

I wouldn't be so hard on WindCroft, but it's obvious that the people involved in this movie are the ones that rated and reviewed it here. For example, look at the number of 10's this movie got, lets be honest, when's the last time you saw any movie that deserved a 10. Please do yourself a favor and don't watch this movie. Don't even rent it, don't even watch it if it comes on TV.

What a sad waste of time.

[LoveGoodMovies · 1/10 · 24 March 2009]

This movie does not deserve a 4, it deserves a 1(awful). Trust me, more thought was put into making the cover for the movie, than was put into making the movie itself. If you look closely at the awards, you will see that they are fakes.

1. Sad day for movie lovers everywhere when this movie was released to the public.

2. Sad day for movie lovers everywhere when the director knew the film was bad before he even released it, so he put fake awards on the front of the video case.

3. Sad day for movie lovers everywhere when the director knew the film was so bad that he paid a marketing team to come to IMDb and post fake reviews and rate the movie a 10 before it even came out.

4. Sad day for movie lovers everywhere when you watch another movie and find out that more thought was put into the movie case than was put into the movie.

This movie is not interesting, and it's very badly put together. Some movies are so bad that they become funny, but this movie is so bad that it's just bad. Nothing good about this movie.

You Reap What You Sow? That has nothing to do with this movie.

[DarkVideor · 1/10 · 23 March 2009]

The tag line for this movie is "You reap what you Sow". That has absolutely nothing to do with this movie. As a matter of fact, the tag line should be "You Will Be Sleep By The End of This Movie".

I have no clue how to explain movie, other than to just inform you. This movie doesn't have any chills, or any plot at all. This movie is the epitome of watching paint dry. I fell for the "extremely exaggerated" reviews. This movie ruined my night. My wife and I finally had a day off to relax and watch a movie together, while the kids were gone, and we were both off of work. My wife prepared an excellent meal, and I rented this movie for the entertainment. This movie was so bad, that It pretty much destroyed the whole mood. We watched and waited, and nothing happened. Nothing at all. Avoid this movie.

OMG!

[Mehki_Girl · 1/10 · 16 November 2021]

I read the reviews but the preview looked good.

I lasted exactly 5:44 minutes.

The cat song. The really, really, really bad, bad acting.

Good GD that was awful!

I feel violated!

A big fat 1 for Awful

[skatechickrules · 1/10 · 25 March 2009]

No stars for this movie. Bad acting, music sux. Not entertaining. Maybe if your over 70 years old and can't have any excitement in your life, then this is the movie for you. Lol at the "scary" scene. Yep I said it, "scene". Only 1 scene that attempts to scare, and it fails. The movie is a big floppy failure. I wouldn't want my worst enemy to have to sit through this movie. Wardrobe was like looking in your grandparents closet. Eww. Whoever wrote this obviously has no creative gene in their body. If any one finds this movie interesting in the least bit, then you need to get out more. I should have known by the title that this movie was going to be stupid. You got my 4 bucks, but i know to never watch anything that even remotely involves "Evan (director)" whats his face.

solid thriller that kept me guessing

[thrillkill-2 · 7/10 · 5 March 2009]

The DVD box is covered with a dozens awards and glowing quotes from legitimate critics - so already my expectations were high. And honestly, the movie didn't disappoint.

Windcroft starts as a love story about a man going through a mid-life crisis who inherits the family farm. He returns with his newlywed wife to sort through the place and almost immediately the dread begins to pile on. The atmospheric tones of the music and the camera work set a pace for building and building tension throughout the movie. Once the ex-girlfriend comes in the picture, the love story turns into a love triangle, and then it unravels as this tightly wound thriller that I never saw coming - but was still believable.

Sure, this may not be a glossy Hollywood thriller, but for the apparently very low budget this was made with, it was very impressive. Even the documentary on the DVD was enjoyable. There were tons of behind the scenes clips and very little "ego stroking" which is what I hate about most DVD featurettes.

I easily recommend this to anyone looking for the next wave of talent, because this little movie has it in spades.

Don't waste your time

[mjallgeier · 2/10 · 3 December 2021]

The movies was so slow and the acting was so bad. The script was terrible. I can't believe I watched the whole movie. Can anyone really say this is worth and hour and a half of your life to watch it?

The Farm That Hell Built

[melloyellobiafra · 9/10 · 25 March 2009]

The Farm That Hell Built is the name of the making of documentary on this DVD. I wish it was the title of the actual movie. I make this wish because this movie is like one of those early 70's horror movies that builds slowly to a weird, all hell breaks loose climax. And you know that if this movie was in fact released in the early 70's it would most certainly be called The Farm That Hell Built. At least that's what they are calling it at the drive-in in my head where it's playing on double bill with Dream No Evil.

You know what I'm talking about right? No? Well watch more early 70's horror movie for corn's sake. While you're at it check out Windcroft too, or The Farm That Hell Built as I like to call it.

What was the point of all this? Oh yes, Windcroft, I dug it, I think you will too.

Chilling character-driven thriller

[okieforever · 7/10 · 28 April 2008]

Where did this film come from? I saw this at a festival here in Oklahoma over the weekend and it blew away the competition. It was like a cross between The Shining and Wuthering Heights, with strong characters and and a seemingly standard love story - but then it all goes crazy and turns into this scary thriller. It caught me completely off guard.

The acting was amazing, even for a cast of unknowns. The two female roles were very strong, and the lead actor seems a bit blah at first but then as the movie progressed, he got more and more sinister and frightening, ending with a performance that rivals some of Hitchcock's better villains. (The fact that I never saw the actors before this film made it more believable, and I was easily swept into the story).

The score (and the photography) was unbelievable too. It looked like a "Hollywood" movie instead of some crummy video. The rest of the movies at the fest were mediocre compared to the quality of WINDCROFT. It really is a MUST SEE for anyone who likes a truly independent film, and a great story.

ALL YOUR CATS WILL WANT TO TRY IT

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 26 June 2019]

John (Joe Ryan) was fallen off the deep end after the death of his father. He takes off work and returns to the picturesque family farm with his wife Diane (Vanessa Daniels). Here she meets John's childhood friend Mindy (Monica Knight). They have a serious psychotic love-hate relationship. John's family suffers from dementia and have suicidal tendencies. There is clearly a family secret which we try to piece together from the clues before they tell us.

To anyone who watches these type of mysteries have most of it figured out from the first clue. The plot wasn't that bad, but the acting, dialogue, and general film editing/direction left much to be desired. The characters never grabbed me. I never felt for poor Diane and found myself more concerned about the poorly shot wildlife meandering in the woods, moving in various directions when they are suppose to be giving chase.

Guide: F-bomb and sex. No nudity.

Pretty good!

[kwihui · 6/10 · 10 November 2021]

First, the three main actors were great!

Second, the plot was a great, surprised me, though I was thinking something else! Great twist!

Third, on a low budget, B- movie, did pretty well.

Main thing I came away with feeling okay with a satisfactory feel. Finally an ending that is acceptable. Although it could have a different ending - perhaps with the woman coming out of a doctor's office, leaving viewers assuming what needed to happen.