Haunted Forest

This movie took me on a ride! It is breathtaking and beautiful as much as it is SHOCKING and HORRIFYING. The acting is FANTASTIC- all of the characters are likable and REAL, totally engaging to watch. Sevy Di Cione is AWESOME. He is a natural. Visually, the movie is hypnotizing- I felt like I was RIGHT THERE, in the forest, with them... the camera takes you into the picture... it is eerie and irresistible and totally frightening. Great SPECIAL EFFECTS, SOUND, and the MUSIC is ENCHANTING... Mauro Borelli knows how to captivate an audience! It was one of SCARIEST movies I have ever seen- felt like I ran a marathon when it was over! (also had to check my pulse a few times during the film, no kidding) LOVED it, thank you, AW

Several groups of people camping in the woods find themselves the prey of a majorly PO'ed Native American tree spirit lady. Or something. This odd little movie is like a hybrid of "The Blair Witch Project" and a modern Asian ghost horror. It's clearly derivative of these things in it's execution and the acting is laughable, but I have to give it credit for its original story and interesting scare techniques. Some of the editing choices are confusing, but I'll chalk that up to the low budget. Overall, this isn't a bad horror movie, but there isn't much that's good about it either. If you like ghost movies or movies that take place in the woods, then you'll probably find something to like about this one.

I thought at first after seeing the cover of the DVD that it was gonna be yet another B horror movie put out by Mapple.With them it can be really bad or really good.I ended up liking it.I really like indie movies and this one definitely comes across like one.I liked the acting in this movie.Everyone came across really real and believable.The effects were pretty good and the thrills! I jumped out of my seat and didn't see it coming.The audio wasn't that great though.I had to turn the volume up high just to hear the conversations.Or maybe it was done like that on purpose so that when the scary parts happen they are so loud that it scares the living sh*t out of you.Either way it was effective.At times the story didn't make a lot of sense and there were definitely insufficiencies.I would have preferred Satinka played by an actual Native American actress instead of a Japanese actress.Or someone who could at least pass as being native Indian, not Asian looking.But it is a fun,creepy little movie guaranteed to scare you or at least make you jump.

Haunted Forest is a very decent low budget indie programmer. It sure doesn't tell one a story that one hasn't heard before, nor does it have much of a point as you look back on it, but it has some very redeeming moments of horror, overall beautiful picture (something you don't usually expect from a cheapie), good music, decent FX and largely a likable cast. There are a few characters who don't contribute to the storyline much and leave the viewer wonder why they were added in the first place. But obviously the mission of such a film is to scare the viewer, and if some new visual scares are introduced to the sturdy row of old school horror handbook, I can only applaud. Yes, some moments were rather innovative and redeem the shortcomings of the film.

It's also the first indie film I've seen, which employs the Japanese invention, the "Ringu-Girl" - meaning the pale barefooted girl with long black hair combed in front of her face, something that all the viewers raved about some 6-7 years ago, who then crossed into the mainstream horror but the inclusion of whom nowadays has acquired something of a camp value. The idea of that creature in an American forest can seem bizarre, but the makers have actually put her to good use.

So have no hesitation to sit through this film. Instead of a usual gore fest and body count you get a rather poetic rendition of an old Indian legend with credible characters and moody atmosphere.

The beginning of this movie had me in tears of laughter the guy who opens who tries so hard to look scared just had me doubled over in fits of amusement I honestly thought "What The ?" this guy is confused maybe he got stuck in the wrong movie.

There are a few scares in this movie but all of which are of the cheap variety for example "ghostly shadow walks past in background" "deathly face in mirror" "hand coming out of the ground" the list really does go on and that is where all the scares come from seriously. The acting is very flawed and quite comical although I am sure that was not their intention.

You cant really take this movie seriously and it is quite unbelievable that movies such as this are made but even more weird they are unleashed on the unsuspecting public.

So unless you like the thought of a cheap chill and a laugh or too then you should most definitely stay away from this movie.