Ep 7. Wendigo: American Cannibal

Lost Tapes is a thrilling American television series that explores the world of mythical creatures and urban legends through a unique approach. The show is designed as a collection of found-footage-style episodes that document a group of people's encounters with these creatures. Season 3, episode 7, Wendigo: American Cannibal, jumps into Native American folklore that tells the story of a cannibalistic creature, the Wendigo, who is said to roam the woods of North America.

The episode begins with a warning that the footage might disturb viewers due to its graphic nature. We see a group of hunters on a trip in the wilderness. They are equipped with cameras and guns. The leader of the group is a seasoned hunter and takes the group deep into the forest, led by his intuition. The group is nervous but excited to hunt once-in-a-lifetime prey and capture it on film.

As the group ventures deeper into the woods, something ominous begins to occur. They start to feel as though they are being watched. At first, the group finds animal remains indicating the presence of a large predator, but things take a turn for the worse when the hunters discover human remains, scattered around the area in a gruesome manner.

The group becomes increasingly anxious as they realize that they are being stalked by an unknown creature. They point their cameras in the direction of the woods and begin recording their every step, hoping to capture the creature on film. As the group follows the trail of destruction, they find more and more human remains, leading them to believe that they are dealing with a cannibalistic creature, the Wendigo.

The team eventually comes face to face with the creature as they prepare their cameras and weapons. The Wendigo is a towering, skeletal monster with sharpened claws and teeth, and piercing yellow eyes that glow in the dark. They attempt to capture a clear footage of the creature as they confront it, but their cameras start malfunctioning, and the audio becomes distorted.

They try to run but are quickly outmatched by the creature's speed and agility. The Wendigo plays a game of cat and mouse with the hunters, leading them deeper into the forest only to attack when they are at their most vulnerable. The group soon realizes that their only hope of survival is working together and stopping the Wendigo before it devours them all.

Lost Tapes has always been an unpredictable series, and this episode is no exception. The found-footage style and the use of practical effects add to the chilling atmosphere, making the creature seem terrifyingly real. The focus on the Wendigo legend, a relatively obscure urban legend, adds to the sense of novelty and intrigue.

The episode successfully captures the horror of being chased by a monster in the dark woods while playfully referencing other horror movies. Some of the encounters with Wendigo feel like an homage to movies like The Blair Witch Project and Predator. However, the show does not rely on these references, as it is self-contained and stands on its solid storytelling and frightful imagery.

The episode concludes with a sense of mystery, as the hunters never get to fully capture the creature on film. The Wendigo remains a legend for the world, and for the hunters who escaped its clutches, an experience that they will never forget.