The Last Winter has a story and vibe that strongly reminds me of The Thing or Black Mountain Side (Kinda more the second one, since The Thing is a completely different kind of movie). A research crew in the middle of nowhere in Alaska—isolated, tense, and confronted with strange occurrences. It’s basically the perfect recipe for creating a dark and oppressive atmosphere. I already noticed while watching True Detective: Night Country how I miss this kind of setting nowadays. It immediately immerses you in the right mood.

The Last Winter effectively uses music and direction to quickly establish that you’re in for something dark and mystical. Like breadcrumbs in Hansel and Gretel, it scatters small, eerie hints that make you feel like you’re descending into madness alongside the crew. It all starts funny and carefree, and just in a matter of days, it turns into a series of unfortunate events no one could have imagined. I really enjoyed the cold, desolate imagery of the snow-covered wilderness and the darkness. Especially at night, the way it was shot captured the overwhelming emptiness surrounding the characters. Just a few steps too far from the base, and you’re lost in nothingness.

One of the reasons this movie made it onto my watch list was its central theme: the Wendigo. While the approach here was definitely interesting, I found it a bit too subtle. It lacked a certain focus. It makes for a very atmospheric mystery thriller, but I was hoping for more horror and tension. It just didn’t quite have that extra punch I was looking for.

Nonetheless, I’d say The Last Winter is definitely worth watching and underrated.