Sure, this movie tries to have an artsy, plot-twisty feel. But the two realities that are presented in the movie are easy enough to understand and I thought it was interesting to see both sides of it. It certainly held my attention, and given most movies these days I give it a big plus for that reason alone! The creature designs were interesting enough (albeit low budget, but that isn't always terrible!) I think this movie would even be worth a rewatch, but I don't think it's my new favorite by any means. 5.5(teetering on 6)/10
50 Reviews
What a mess
nikos213 November 2020
It goes like this...This is reality, ok, nope THIS is the real reality, fine... Wrong again THIS is the REAL REAL reality....ah ok...Guess what, they all lying, THIS is the Super duper real and only reality...ok wtf? No worries, its a dream.
In the end the mess is so big that doesnt make sense and the only thing you want is the thing you watch to end so can go on doing something better, like watching mushrooms grow.
In the end the mess is so big that doesnt make sense and the only thing you want is the thing you watch to end so can go on doing something better, like watching mushrooms grow.
Plot?
preaypr3 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
If there's a coherent story here I struggled to find it. By 30 mins in you know that the rest of the film could just be the imagination of one of the character slowly losing his mind. Sadly it never really clears this up so you're left wondering which version of events was meant to be real and which a dream
I can't see anything
juliesherwin-2554026 March 2021
Spent most of time screwing my eyes up to try and see anything happening... why is this filmed mostly in the dark- this does not make a film scary, just annoying and also too much use of a foreboding soundtrack does the opposite of putting you on edge. No script to speak or just very confusing.
But the storyline was just way too confusing...
paul_haakonsen30 November 2020
Well, "The Retreat" wasn't really as good of a horror movie as I had expected. Sure, the movie was watchable and entertaining enough for what it turned out to be, but it just wasn't a particularly memorable or outstanding addition to the horror genre.
"The Retreat" had some interesting enough aspects to it, such as the wendigo and the creatures that scuttled about with it, and the trip into the forest (around which the movie's plot evolved), and the happenings in the forest. However, the movie just spiraled downwards and out of control as the storyline went from being interesting to downright confusing and totally dropping the ball as to what was going on. That part is where writer and director Bruce Wemple totally lost me.
As for the acting in "The Retreat", well it was heavily reliant on the performance of mostly two actors, that being Grant Schumacher and Dylan Grunn. I will say that they managed to carry themselves well enough, despite the fact of not having a properly constructed storyline to work with.
"The Retreat" is labeled as a horror movie. A very weak horror movie, mind you, because there literally was nothing scary about the movie. I think the label psychological thriller mystery might actually do the movie more justice.
Ultimately, while I did manage to sit through the entire course of the movie, I can honestly say that "The Retreat" is not a movie that had me particularly entertained or thriller. Nor is it a movie that I will watch a second time.
My rating of "The Retreat" settles on a four out of ten stars.
"The Retreat" had some interesting enough aspects to it, such as the wendigo and the creatures that scuttled about with it, and the trip into the forest (around which the movie's plot evolved), and the happenings in the forest. However, the movie just spiraled downwards and out of control as the storyline went from being interesting to downright confusing and totally dropping the ball as to what was going on. That part is where writer and director Bruce Wemple totally lost me.
As for the acting in "The Retreat", well it was heavily reliant on the performance of mostly two actors, that being Grant Schumacher and Dylan Grunn. I will say that they managed to carry themselves well enough, despite the fact of not having a properly constructed storyline to work with.
"The Retreat" is labeled as a horror movie. A very weak horror movie, mind you, because there literally was nothing scary about the movie. I think the label psychological thriller mystery might actually do the movie more justice.
Ultimately, while I did manage to sit through the entire course of the movie, I can honestly say that "The Retreat" is not a movie that had me particularly entertained or thriller. Nor is it a movie that I will watch a second time.
My rating of "The Retreat" settles on a four out of ten stars.
Very confusing
ladyvampireica26 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I did not understand the movie....it shows 3 different endings. No idea what really happened in this movie, kept going back and forth between what the guy thinks he remembers but I'm not sure what is correct. Not sure if he died or not in the end because he stabs himself then he turns into the Windgo.
Poor
bruceformer10 March 2021
Meh...
camkennedy3411 November 2020
It's not bad, however, the story jumps around way too much, almost making it tough to know what's going on. I'd say this is more of a thriller and not horror. The cinematography is great, but it's unfortunate that they used some kind of orange and teal filter. Everyone's skin appears orange.
Pretty good flick.
stevenweitzner19 December 2020
It is not the scariest movie at all but it did have a few moments that definitely did creep me out. Not a low budget, and not a low quality movie. The story kept me guessing until the very end and the acting was very very good as well. If you like movies that are horror mixed with mystery this is exactly what you get in this film.
What did I just rent...?
docstrangeone7 February 2021
This movie is not worth watching for free,let alone renting it. Although the Wendigo looked like an alien Rake,the writing,acting,and continuity of the storyline left me wondering what the hell happened. No conclusion or even a simple explanation of the outcome....would have rated it a zero if I could....pass this one up...save your money....
Hidden Gem
pensacolacomputer23 March 2021
Hidden gem here. Its a little slow in the beginning, but stick with it, it gets much better. I thought it would be close to garbage according to the 4.0 ratings. The movie has much more depth and some nice twists, much more than most horror movies lately. Highly recommended, IF you like horror/thriller movies.
Bravo, great job 8/10
Bravo, great job 8/10
Good, if you know the legend behind it
DozyDelver16 November 2020
I enjoyed this movie, but it's because I already knew quite a bit about the wendigo urban legend and knew what to expect. If you have no idea about the legend then I'm afraid you'll probably find this to be a confusing mess, or at the worst, boring. I guess people might go into this thinking it's a monster movie but it's actually a slow psychological horror with themes of madness. It works as a good homage to the wendigo legend but I have rated down because the legend isn't well enough explained for newcomers. I thought it was a pretty neat serious psychological horror though.
homemade is wellmade...
ops-5253511 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
They say, And to some extent that maybe right, actually when it comes to camerawork and choice of locations. but the rest is clicheed from from whats already there. its a meskalito-shroom story that goes malign,killing his touring mate, getting lost with only a lighter in the woods of nowhere, finds a cabin that has a fireplace, an old rifle and works as a retreat. until the beast is on...
its a lot of darkness, the score damages the scare jumps when stopping and shifting at the wrong spots. acting could have been worse, so its a 4 from the grumpy old man.
its a lot of darkness, the score damages the scare jumps when stopping and shifting at the wrong spots. acting could have been worse, so its a 4 from the grumpy old man.
Sasquatch
BandSAboutMovies22 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
You know, even in today's quarantine situation, no part of me ever wants to go to a cabin with my friends for an isolated vacation. I've seen too many movies where a bunch of guy pals go up north and end up all dead or worse.
The Retreat is the next one that reminds me that I should stay right where I am, in my wonderful movie room basement, cataloging my Mexican VHS horror favorites and wondering whether or not I should even go upstairs.
Gus and Adam weren't as smart. They went up to the Adirondack High Peaks of Upstate New York and ended up running into a monster. But now, Gus finds himself all by himself, going crazy and convinced that he's being hunted by the Wendigo.
Written and directed by Bruce Wemple, whose Monstrous was about a woman discovering that a trip to - you guessed it - the Adirondack High Peaks of Upstate New York wasn't such a good idea because one of her friends is possessed by a beast much like Bigfoot. Grant Schumacher, who plays Gus in this movie, was also in that as Jamie, and Dylan Grum, who is Adam here, played Squatch in Monstrous.
Here's some further advice: if you are going backpacking in the woods, do not take any hallucinogenic drugs. Have we learned nothing from the slasher films of our youth?
The crazy thing is that there may be more than one Wendigo out here in the woods. And beyond just killing people, they like to make them go crazy first. They are also usually cannibals that have tasted the flesh of their fellow man in the forest, if I know my Native American lore (or just remember when Wolverine fought one).
The Retreat is available on demand and on DVD - all hail physical media, look for this at a WalMart near you! - from Uncork'd Entertainment, who were nice enough to send us a review copy.
The Retreat is the next one that reminds me that I should stay right where I am, in my wonderful movie room basement, cataloging my Mexican VHS horror favorites and wondering whether or not I should even go upstairs.
Gus and Adam weren't as smart. They went up to the Adirondack High Peaks of Upstate New York and ended up running into a monster. But now, Gus finds himself all by himself, going crazy and convinced that he's being hunted by the Wendigo.
Written and directed by Bruce Wemple, whose Monstrous was about a woman discovering that a trip to - you guessed it - the Adirondack High Peaks of Upstate New York wasn't such a good idea because one of her friends is possessed by a beast much like Bigfoot. Grant Schumacher, who plays Gus in this movie, was also in that as Jamie, and Dylan Grum, who is Adam here, played Squatch in Monstrous.
Here's some further advice: if you are going backpacking in the woods, do not take any hallucinogenic drugs. Have we learned nothing from the slasher films of our youth?
The crazy thing is that there may be more than one Wendigo out here in the woods. And beyond just killing people, they like to make them go crazy first. They are also usually cannibals that have tasted the flesh of their fellow man in the forest, if I know my Native American lore (or just remember when Wolverine fought one).
The Retreat is available on demand and on DVD - all hail physical media, look for this at a WalMart near you! - from Uncork'd Entertainment, who were nice enough to send us a review copy.
Audio distracting
jorchard134 January 2021
I don't know what others watched,
thewildrat31 March 2021
But this movie sucked! It could have been a watchable movie, but it is disjointed, the script sucks, it almost seemed like it was going to be a broke back mountain movie with a wendigo. It turns out it's just a below average movie.
Not my cup of tea
phillawrence-3214213 February 2022
By the hour mark I just wanted this film to end. Whilst it had some creepy moments early on, the whole ambiguity trope just didn't work and felt needlessly incoherent. Whilst the acting was fine etc, it just wasn't remotely scary enough.
A nice little slow burner...
Go_For_The_Jugular11 November 2020
Looks great, sounds great. Just when you think it's going nowhere - Boom! Plot twist after plot twist after plot twist pull you right back in!
Admittedly, it gets a bit confusing in the final act, as the movie jumps back and forth between multiple timelines.
One massive flaw- the 'Wendigo(s)' look ridiculous and basically move around like 'men in costumes'. Other than that, a solid movie!
Admittedly, it gets a bit confusing in the final act, as the movie jumps back and forth between multiple timelines.
One massive flaw- the 'Wendigo(s)' look ridiculous and basically move around like 'men in costumes'. Other than that, a solid movie!
Solid if somewhat flawed psychological creature feature
kannibalcorpsegrinder12 November 2020
Heading out for a bachelor party, a group of friends decides to take a special hiking trail in the local woods but when they get lost in the woods decide to try experimenting with drugs only to come upon a dangerous woodland-based entity that starts playing with their mind the longer they stay in the area.
For the most part, this is a pretty enjoyable outing. A lot of what works here is the strong setup that takes on the groups' stupidity to work properly. The idea of them going out at night on the darkened trail as part of their series of hikes makes complete sense as to how the group gets lost as easily as they do. The trick in doing it on the hike back is also played nicely as there are some fine chances for them to get back safely yet instead turns this nicely away from the expected into a far more satisfying psychological bent about being lost in the woods than an outright monster movie. The various timelines and story-points that emerge here play off a different kind of film in that it's seemingly more about the experience he undertakes and how it's manipulated by either the elements or the creatures' supernatural powers makes for a fine story here and manages to work out quite an effective effort. When this one gets going, though, it's all due to the fun psychological mind-games that result here. The harrowing first encounter alone in the woods manages to bring about a fantastic confrontation with the creature that's quite enjoyable with the overpowering nature of it who quickly and easily tosses him aside yet strangely backs off gives this a fantastic starting point for the later encounters. From the hallucinations of the beast stalking him through the woods to the unseen shots of it following him which are quite intriguing playing off the psychological nature of the storyline. Since everything is based around whether or not it's a hallucination or actually happening, this one manages to come across far more chilling here with the idea that it's not actually him out there to begin with. Offering up both scenarios as equally likely in that he's alone and being stalked by a supernatural creature or that there's nothing but the two of them who have fallen prey to the elements snapped makes for a chilling set up with just enough action to make for a fun time. There are some big issues within this one. The most egregious of this is the confusing storyline here that tends to make it quite difficult to figure out what's going on. Tending to revert through time quite easily by going back-and-forth through numerous storylines involving their camping trip gone wrong, the flashbacks to the psychiatrists' office and then to the meetings with the fiancee he's marrying causes some tonally whiplash keeping everything straight throughout here. It also doesn't help that this series of storylines cause the main creature to nearly disappear from the main part of the film since it doesn't tend to get a lot of screentime in the last third of the film. Most of these are taken up with keeping the storylines going or showing the guys out hiking in the woods rather than the creature so although it does have a few moments here-and-there it doesn't have as much as most would like. The other issue here is the utterly moronic decision that sets the movie in motion of the group going out in the woods alone at night as most of them state doing so is a bad idea is a clue enough that this one doesn't have any proper motivation for doing so. That all ends up holding this one down.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Violence.
For the most part, this is a pretty enjoyable outing. A lot of what works here is the strong setup that takes on the groups' stupidity to work properly. The idea of them going out at night on the darkened trail as part of their series of hikes makes complete sense as to how the group gets lost as easily as they do. The trick in doing it on the hike back is also played nicely as there are some fine chances for them to get back safely yet instead turns this nicely away from the expected into a far more satisfying psychological bent about being lost in the woods than an outright monster movie. The various timelines and story-points that emerge here play off a different kind of film in that it's seemingly more about the experience he undertakes and how it's manipulated by either the elements or the creatures' supernatural powers makes for a fine story here and manages to work out quite an effective effort. When this one gets going, though, it's all due to the fun psychological mind-games that result here. The harrowing first encounter alone in the woods manages to bring about a fantastic confrontation with the creature that's quite enjoyable with the overpowering nature of it who quickly and easily tosses him aside yet strangely backs off gives this a fantastic starting point for the later encounters. From the hallucinations of the beast stalking him through the woods to the unseen shots of it following him which are quite intriguing playing off the psychological nature of the storyline. Since everything is based around whether or not it's a hallucination or actually happening, this one manages to come across far more chilling here with the idea that it's not actually him out there to begin with. Offering up both scenarios as equally likely in that he's alone and being stalked by a supernatural creature or that there's nothing but the two of them who have fallen prey to the elements snapped makes for a chilling set up with just enough action to make for a fun time. There are some big issues within this one. The most egregious of this is the confusing storyline here that tends to make it quite difficult to figure out what's going on. Tending to revert through time quite easily by going back-and-forth through numerous storylines involving their camping trip gone wrong, the flashbacks to the psychiatrists' office and then to the meetings with the fiancee he's marrying causes some tonally whiplash keeping everything straight throughout here. It also doesn't help that this series of storylines cause the main creature to nearly disappear from the main part of the film since it doesn't tend to get a lot of screentime in the last third of the film. Most of these are taken up with keeping the storylines going or showing the guys out hiking in the woods rather than the creature so although it does have a few moments here-and-there it doesn't have as much as most would like. The other issue here is the utterly moronic decision that sets the movie in motion of the group going out in the woods alone at night as most of them state doing so is a bad idea is a clue enough that this one doesn't have any proper motivation for doing so. That all ends up holding this one down.
Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Violence.
Garbage
georgio-2649017 February 2021
Enjoyable
AndreanDatura13 March 2021
Drink Me
nogodnomasters3 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Adam (Dylan Grunn) is getting married in a few days. For a "bachelor party" he goes hiking with the best man Gus (Grant Schumacher) in the Adirondacks during winter because no one gets married in June. A brief stay at Marty's cabin sets the mood with lore of the Wendigo and Ryan's special peyote laced tea. While sleeping in the woods Gus is attacked by said Wendigo and manages to stab it. Or did he imagine it and stabbed Adam? The film runs with two realities. One were Gus kills and eats Adam and another where everything is fine.
I liked how they presented the Wendigo both as real and imaginary. The film does drag too many times, but I liked the ending.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
I liked how they presented the Wendigo both as real and imaginary. The film does drag too many times, but I liked the ending.
Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.
Can't believe I spent $4 on this
tangledupinbluetoo19 December 2020
awful
jeffdivinsky9 April 2021
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