If you seek information regarding the enigmatic end of the film “The Wind,” look no further. Allow me to shed light on my interpretation of the unfolding events and their underlying significance. Delving into the depths of this supernatural folk horror film, I present a comprehensive analysis of its cryptic denouement. Undoubtedly, The Wind movie offers both a visceral and intellectual experience, though it may elicit frustration and perhaps even ire from certain viewers. Having personally traversed a rollercoaster of emotions since my own viewing, I have cultivated a somewhat tumultuous relationship with it. Nevertheless, the plethora of commendable elements within this narrative far outweigh any shortcomings it may possess.

I’m here to tell you this is a must-see, especially if you love films like Hereditary and, The Witch. Are they the same? No, but they have that vibe and a dark atmospheric classic crust that makes it super moreish. You can safely add it to your folk horror collection and be happy you did.

Is The Wind a Good Movie?

This movie was amazing. The Wind may not be a crowd-pleaser, but for me, that’s perfectly fine. In fact, it adds to its appeal. It’s much harder to have a negative opinion about something that everyone is debating. I was in the pro-“Hereditary” camp but wasn’t a fan of The Witch. When a story resonates with you, it simply does. The Wind encompasses everything I love in a folk lore-themed horror.

I think watching a movie and then changing your view of it over time is a good thing. Sometimes the penny doesn’t drop for me the moment I’ve finished watching a movie. For those who want a straight-up, clear film with obvious explanations, a straightforward timeline, and easy-to-read characters, steer clear. For the rest, head straight out and see it, rent it, or buy it and watch it a few times.

To start, the editing of this film is superb. For a story that ducks and weaves in and out of different parts of the story, I found it incredibly easy to follow which is no easy feat in itself. This is possibly due to the amazing performance from Caitlin Gerard who plays Lizzie and ties it all together.

The Wind Direction

Other performances were equally as convincing, however, Gerard grips the wheel that steers the boat. It’s in her face that you can determine how deep her anguish has been pushed. Later scenes showing her in earlier happier times overshadow just how much her character has changed.

The Wind movie is set up as a supernatural thriller, set in the Western frontier of the late 1800s giving a platform for the comparison to The Witch. Complete with an eerie goat, the setting is very similar. The wind speed shown at various stages during the film creates the backdrop for some great synergy. For a likeness to Hereditary, look no further than the complete immersion into isolating madness and you’ve got the tether between this film and that.

There is not a lot of dialogue in The Wind movie instead, you’re left to watch the shadows of people in the foreground. Listen to the wind speed causing a wooden shutter to creak closed, and be on constant alert for anything supernatural. The score, not something I usually enjoy, like a screechy violin, was perfect here in its use. I’ve had people explain this type of music is used to raise tension but previously it just got on my nerves. Here, I found it the perfect accompaniment, and it did indeed keep me tense.

What The Wind Knows

Okay, so there isn’t any barley in The Wind movie, as the landscape is generally barren and desolate. However, the reason I liked this so much is that there is a supernatural element at play here. There is also madness. You are left to ponder which is the reality and which is the madness. Initially, this made me a little miffed but then I asked the question, what if it’s both?

I give The Wind

4 encyclopedias of demons out of 5

Mother of Movies score

Who Made ‘The Wind?’

The Wind cast includes Miles Anderson (La La Land 2016), Caitlin Gerard (American Crime 2015), Julia Goldani Telles (Slender Man 2018), Dylan McTee (Midnighters 2017), Martin Patterson (The Rapture 2011), and, Ashley Zukerman (Fear the Walking Dead 2016.)
The directorial feature film debut after a few documentaries is Emma Tammi.
Written by Teresa Sutherland (for one of her previous novels, see My Amazon Picks below.)

“It Never Stops”
The Wind quotes

Emma Tammi’s The Wind. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.

Explained – The Story Behind The Wind Movie

For those who grew up with Western movies, as I did, you’ll have noticed the stories were all about the men’s adventures out in the lands. While The Wind has some men featured in it, they certainly don’t play a big part.

Did you ever wonder about what the women might be up to while the Cowboys were off galivanting around? I can barely even remember what Gideon looks like and you never really know where the men are. The story follows Lizzie and Emma, their interactions, and what can happen if you are left in isolation for long periods of time.

During pioneer times, there was a little organization called The American Tract Society. Their job was to hand out little religious booklets on horseback. They were also responsible for doing baptisms, marriages, and saying prayers for the dead. The pamphlet seen in the film was created using this information and set up specifically for the film.

References within the dialogue of the film, starting with Emma’s mumbling were introduced via this leaflet and taken from two books about demons featured below as part of The Wind explanation section.

Compounding that there are demons on these plains.

Caitlin Gerard as “Lizzy Macklin” in Emma Tammi’s The Wind. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release. Mother of Movies — Caitlin Gerard as “Lizzy Macklin” in Emma Tammi’s The Wind. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.

The Wind Movie Ending Explained

Featured in the pamphlet is the following extract

“Many a long journey ends in a weak spirit.

A Spirit which is not ready for the physical and spiritual tests that await men in this unfamiliar land. Unfamiliar will be everything.

Loneliness on occasion will be the only bread to fill your empty bellies. God will seem to have forsaken you. It is of utmost importance that you know the adversaries that await you in this Great American Desert, who will be as unfamiliar to you as the very earth you tread.“
The Wind Quotes

Spoiler Alert — Avert your eyes, for here are spoilers

The Wind Movie 2019 Explanation — The Wind Movie Ending

Lizzy and Isaac become settlers on the land. On their initial journey to the cabin, they are met by The Reverend who gives Lizzie the pamphlet about Demons and a bible.
Lizzy gives birth to a stillborn baby called Samuel. An ‘S’ is used to mark the place he was buried.
Emma and Gideon also arrive on the plains and into the cabin a few miles away. Gideon and Isaac begin working together to get their property up to speed as they head into Winter.
Emma flirts with Isaac almost immediately and overtly. She is unhappy with the lifestyle Gideon has chosen for them and when Lizzie and Isaac first arrive to help with the plow, they are heard fighting.

The Demons Are Real?

Emma sees the demons first. She is tormented by them and harassed to the point she becomes quite mad. When she falls pregnant, she ends up bedridden and looked after by Lizzie.
Lizzie finds her diary of Emma and one night there is a confrontation causing Lizzie to shoot Emma. By this point, Emma is also a bit chaotically confused. She’s being harassed by the demons and also I believe in a rage that she is pregnant with her husband.
Alone once again, Lizzie is at the mercy of the Demons, unsure of what is real and what is the work of the spirits. When her husband Isaac returns, he discovers she has been in possession of Emma’s diary and accuses her of killing her.
Lizzy breaks free and kills Isaac. She is now alone and mentally unstable, sitting in the middle of the plains, thinking she is at home waiting for the demons to come.

And, that’s the end of The Wind movie explanation section.