30 Best Hidden Gem Horror Movies Perfect For Halloween
13. The Last Winter
Larry Fessenden is the equivalent of “oh, it’s that guy” for genre cinema. As an actor, writer, and producer, he’s had his finger in several beloved efforts, from You’re Next to the iconic horror video game Until Dawn. As a director, he’s a little overlooked, but slow-burning The Last Winter really showcases his individual strengths as a storyteller.
Set in the frightfully cold Arctic, we follow an oil company team plagued by strange environmental phenomena. At loggerheads are James LeGros’ scientist and Ron Perlman’s oil foreman. What could be assumed to be a collapse on a global scale begins to take a supernatural slant; is it global warming, or a vengeful force of nature, possibly tied to the spirit of the Wendigo?
At its core, The Last Winter has a stellar ensemble, with LeGros as the soft-spoken intellectual we’re rooting for. Any genre movie is always better with Perlman around, and he certainly doesn’t disappoint, as his blustering foreman pushes his alpha agenda with zero thought for the consequences. Connie Britton is solid as well, essentially serving as the driving force as the conflict between the men escalates.
The isolated environment is intimidating enough, but Fessenden builds a quiet terror, with many of the frights left to the imagination or unresolved. All his trademark fascinations are present, from blistering cold environments to humanity tampering with Mother Nature, and, of course, links to the Wendigo legend. While Fessenden has explored the themes better, The Last Winter is certainly the most interesting take on them - a disaster movie told like a low-key haunted house flick.