Avaliações de usuários

In 2002, director Lucky McKee made a big impression with his first full feature film, the oddball horror 'May'. Since then, he went on to direct the best episode of the Masters of Horror series, and this film...which has unfortunately remained in limbo for far too long. It's not difficult to see why the film struggled to get a release, as McKee's film isn't exactly your average slice of horror. It's clear that the director has a thing for deviant young women, and that theme is carried through with this film; along with a whole load of influence, which ranges from Video Nasty classic 'The Evil Dead', to Dario Argento's masterpiece 'Suspiria'. The film takes place in 1965, and focuses on central character Heather Fasulo - a girl sent to a an all-girl boarding school by her parents after she decided to burn down their house. The school is surrounded by thick woodland, and the girls there tell stories about it which revolve round a coven of witches that decided to take the school by force many years earlier. Furthermore, this story seems to have some truth as Heather suffers nightmares which focus on the surrounding woods…

The film is really slow paced for the first hour, and despite some mysterious goings on at first; there isn't a lot of horror involved. But that's not to say that the film is boring! McKee utilises this time well and uses it to create mystery around his central theme and build the characters up to a point that we can easily care for them. The atmosphere is continually creepy, and this bodes well with the mystery theme and the dark and gloomy woodland. While The Woods doesn't feature much in the way of blood and gore, McKee skilfully manages to work some schlock sequences into the film, and the frenzied final third brilliantly offsets the slow build of the first two. The director has managed to put together a good line-up of acting talent for the film, which sees Agnes Bruckner doing well in the lead role, and receiving good feedback from experienced actors, including a devilish Patricia Clarkson, and cult icon Bruce Campbell; whom I'd like to have seen more of. It all boils down to a satisfying, yet open, climax and overall; despite its problems getting a release - this is a damn good horror film and will surely rank as one of the best of 2006! Here's to hoping McKee has an easier time getting a release for his next film.

In 1965, after provoking a fire in a forest, the rebel teenager Heather Fasulo (Agnes Bruckner) is sent to the boarding school Falburn Academy in the middle of the woods by her estranged mother Alice Fasulo (Emma Campbell) and her neglected father Joe Fasulo (Bruce Campbell). The dean Ms. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson) accepts Heather in spite of the bad financial condition of her father. The displaced Heather becomes close friend of he weird Marcy Turner (Lauren Birkell), while they are maltreated by the abusive mate Samantha Wise (Rachel Nichols). During the nights, Heather has nightmares and listens to voices from the woods, and along the days she believes that the school is a coven of witches. When some students, including Marcy, simply vanish, Heather believes she will be the next one.

"The Woods" is an interesting low paced horror movie directed by Lucky McKee, the director of the cult-movie "May". Using a creepy atmosphere to develop the characters and the supernatural mysteries surrounding the boarding school and their teachers, the story reaches its climax in the very end, when the secret of the Falburn Academy is finally disclosed. The underrated actress Patricia Clarkson is scary in the role of the evil dean of the school; the cult Bruce Campbell has a minor but important participation; and Agnes Bruckner is also good in her role. "The Woods" is never better than "May", but it is also a good psychological horror movie. Mr. Lucky McKee, please do not wait for another four years to release your next movie. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Floresta" ("The Woods")

If you try to estimate The Woods as a horror flick it's 2 out of 10. Scary? Impressive story? Good finale? Effects? ... are you kidding?

But despite of all the above the Woods is surprisingly watchable and somehow enjoyable. How's that?

Yes, it's style and imagery (excluding those ridiculous chopping scenes). Hypnotising manner of photography and acting. Slow dialogs, slow movements, close-ups on leading actresses, nice soundtrack selections, charming vocals in chorus scenes. Tea tanned picture, old-fashion haircuts and clothes.

Second, it's a human touch. I mean that scene with radio listening, scene when Heather mimics Mrs.Mackinaw, and so on. It's too common thing for nowadays horror flicks to forget that people are people in the first place, not just screaming dummies for chopping.

In fact, The Woods resembled me Body Snatchers - same slow, beautiful, stylish, and hypnotizing.

Alot of this movie to me screamed mediocre. It does keep you interested and had some good scenery shots otherwise imho this fell flat. The firecrotch thing got old fast. Seems like the girl would have done something about that sooner so to me it was roll of the eyes when she finally did it was like whatever. Ending was stupid. I would say pass. Banal. Go watch the witch instead.

To hear Director Lucky McKee tell it at a post screening interview at the 2006 Fantasia film festival, the reason his movie The Woods hasn't been released is due to "corporate bullshit", however I'd have to say it has more to do with a distinct lack of tension and chills which, in a horror movie, isn't good. If you were looking for a reason why MGM has kept this movie sitting on the shelf for the past three years, this would be it.

Don't get me wrong. The Woods is a stylish, slickly made, well acted movie. Far worse have made their big screen debut, although simply because other studios have seen fit to put lesser fare in the cineplexes, doesn't necessarily mean they should follow suit with The Woods.

The movie tells the story of Heather (Agnes Bruckner), a troubled girl with a penchant for setting fires, who is relegated to an all girl boarding school by her parents, played by Canadian actress Emma Campbell and "The Chin" Bruce Campbell of Army of Darkness fame. It's there that she slowly learns that witchcraft is afoot and that she, along with select other students have been targeted for ulterior motives by the nefarious teaching staff as a result of their unique paranormal talents.

McKee, who rose to fame with his 2002 movie May, draws heavily on Italian horror cinema influences (the film bears more than a passing similarity to Dario Argento's Suspira), The Woods devotes far more time than most films of the genre building audience identification with the central characters, which normally is a good thing, however in this case it appears to have come at the expense of the fright factor. I suppose McKee was aiming for a slow, turn-of-the-screw approach to mounting tension, culminating with the film's orgasmic release, however it didn't work for me. Instead the movie seemed to plod along in a meandering fashion, only to suddenly kick into high gear during the final 15 minutes.

It's all too bad, really, because The Woods has many strengths going for it. It's terrifically photographed, the cinematography even plays with color hues throughout the film for a stylish effect. It's well acted with copious nifty quirks, the dialog flows naturally, and the special effects are superb. If only this movie delivered more chills than it promises, it would have probably been released a year or more ago.

I think The Woods was trying to hypnotize me. Characters spoke in soft, monotone voices and there were long, drawn-out moments of whispers and silence. Plus, it's kind of boring, as the mystery of it all grows tired after the first hour. The final reveal was also fairly lackluster. It's no wonder that the studio decided not to release this movie in theaters.

If you are looking for a bloody slasher flick, then look elsewhere, as this film is a spooky thriller along the lines of Dario Argento.

Agnes Bruckner, a superb young actress, plays a troubled teen whose mother puts her in a boarding school. It just so happens that she has special talents the headmistress (Patricia Clarkson - The Station Agent, The Green Mile, Pieces of April) and the other teachers are looking for.

Despite warnings from sexy Rachel Nichols, she is trapped and part of their diabolical scheme.

The suspense is tense throughout and it only gets bloody at the end. The acting is great and the tree effects are spectacular.

In 1965 Heather (Agnes Bruckner) is sent to an exclusive all girls school by her parents who really don't care about her. All the teachers act strange and Heather is tormented by one of the more vicious students. She slowly (VERY slowly) finds out she's there for a reason. Things get darker and students start disappearing and Heather realizes she might be next.

We have a lot of good actors (Bruckner, Patricia Clarkson and Bruce Campbell) who are great but this just doesn't work. The story is confusing and it moves very slowly. When things barrel out of control at the end it isn't scary at all--just puzzling. Also add in bad special effects and you have a pretty poor movie. It's too bad because they have a good cast but a bad script.

The film has some solid traits. The acting, even by the young cast is solid. The cinematography and set design is good. Though, in the mid 2000's there was a fad of doing these rapid cuts accompanied with loud noises and a photo negative filter. It hasn't aged well and was honestly not popular back then. The mystery of the plot kept me interested. The biggest complaint I have is the protagonist was unlikeable and unrelatable. Agnes Bruckner did fine as her, but ultimately she comes off as a brat, even having a scene where she finds someone in a hospital who asks her for help and she simply turns her back on him. Additionally, the whole bullying subplot feels a bit off. Maybe have the bully show a little less interest in the protagonists "fire crotch".

I saw this recently for the first time. Was on my radar for more than a decade. The film is about a boarding skool in the middle of nowhere surrounded by some evilish woods. A new girl enters n as usual ther is some fight between her n the regular bully. We get to see the mundane life of the boarding skool, eating, drinking milk, etc. that too repeatedly along with the mysterious attitudes of the faculty.

For more than an hour nothing happens n when things do begin to happen, the film ends with too many unanswered questions. Very boring film. Was curious only cos of the director Lucky McKeen n Bruce Campbell. In this film the woman who plays Bruce Campbell's wife also has Campbell as her surname. Dont know if she is related to him.

Compared to the lame horror films that the major studios theatrically release these days, THE WOODS is superior and stands out. It easily deserves a wide theatrical but remains on the shelf for no logical reason. The film is a variation on a SUSPIRIA-type witch story and delivers genuine scares; not the trendy, superficial jarring jumps 'boos' that the reviewer above probably expects. Director McKee (MAY, SICK GIRL) delivers a deliberate pace and gradually building mood and atmosphere. Above all else, THE WOODS is character-driven with real acting! We not use to seeing that in a recent genre film. The photography and 60's period production design is flawless. THE WOODS has the true power to creep you out and you may never drink milk again!

I saw this movie years ago and rewatched it again recently. Solid acting, and a pretty suspenseful first 2/3, make this movie worth a viewing.

Upon second viewing, though, I remembered the problem I had with the movie the first time; namely, the last 1/3. It is clearly influenced by Sam Raimi's style of over-the-top, gross-out horror with that twist of Raimiesque humor (to that point, we even have Raimi alum Bruce Campbell doing his Bruce Campbell thing). I like Drag Me to Hell and the Evil Dead, but that is simply not the kind of movie The Woods was set up to be for the first 2/3. While the last part of the movie is certainly not as over-the-top as the Raimi films, it pushes it too far and makes it less than what it could have been had it stayed true to the first 2/3 of the script, tone, and visual style.

Finally, since I'm listing the negatives here, the editing of this film is also weak, substituting quick cuts for style. The cutting of the film is slap dash, and seems unmotivated by a meaningful sensibility.

For fans of occult or supernatural suspense thrillers, The Woods is still worth a viewing, but I myself will not feel the need to watch it again.

The movie is slow, and the director is as vague with his "effects" as the writer is with the dialogue.

Most of the characters are appropriately wooden, given the title. They also tend to be half-mute, slack-jawed, or morose. Given the situation, you'd think somebody would find it in themselves to ask a straight question, but instead they just vacantly accept that things are weird and horrible. When questions do get asked, they're met with vacant stares, vague answers, and cutaways and the like. Nobody in this film behaves the least bit like a human being except Bruce Campbell, and he's in it for what, ten minutes? I still have no idea why this was set in the 60s. Maybe it was the only way they could justify the girls being docile and not having cell phones.

...when it hit me: if seen as a somewhat inferior 4th entry into the Evil Dead series, the movie makes perfect sense. Ash traveled to 1940s New England after reading the Necronomicon again, married, had a daughter, sent her out to a cabin in the woods (remember, the headmistress told them that it started as a one-room schoolhouse) and his daughter has her own adventures. The faculty bore striking resemblances to the Deadites, if you'll noticed. The fact that Ash grabbed an axe instead of his trusty chainsaw and boomstick was just a character error that needs to be added to the goofs section.

So all-in-all, this movie wasn't quite up to the standards of the first three, but it was a solid "Evil Dead, The Next Generation" flick. It's probably for the best that Raimi wasn't involved with this one. Imagine what he'd do with evil rape trees and an entire school filled with women. One shudders to think.

"The Woods" is just another example of a film that seemingly seems to possess such potential but is let down by the directing and screenplay. It did seem that "The Woods" had an interestingly complex story, but unfortunately it was far too complex to actually tell to the audience, meaning that we are left confused and underwhelmed by the mixed up finale. "The Woods" however does boast atmospheric and creepy direction, (even though it does look as if it was more of a TV movie than an actual film) unfortunately, the story becomes confused and as twisted as the branches. However, it is intriguing and although it does let you down, it's worth a watch.

This slow-moving tale of a haunted girls' school is like watching an Italian horror film without any of the bold visual style that could have infused the underdeveloped story with some much-needed dramatic power. It opens just like 1957's BLOOD OF DRACULA, with an emotionally messed-up teen being dumped at a spooky private school by her uncaring parents. The dad is played by EVIL DEAD star Bruce Campbell, who seems to have brought elements of those films along with him including sentient vines and tree roots that attack people plus some of those nifty low-to-the-ground, high-speed Steadicam chase shots. Credibility is strained by the fact that all the staff members at the remote, shadowy academy (which is run more like a prison or a concentration camp than a school) are so obviously crazy and/or overtly evil on first glance that it's hard to believe anybody wouldn't notice. The sullen heroine is left surrounded by the most horrible women imaginable and, although THE WOODS doesn't really feel like a direct imitation of any one particular film, it suffers from a sort of over-familiarity that breeds, well, boredom. The dialogue is frustrating in that people usually only seem to say about half of what should have been said to make their verbal exchanges feel real. Most of the conversations sound choppy and incomplete and feel very artificial. The deaths and disappearances that commence are caused by the spirits of three demonic witches who took over the institution some hundred years earlier. Naturally, today's outwardly demented faculty are all witches too. The title refers to the thick forest surrounding the place, which periodically eats girls' souls (or something like that) and kills interlopers by using its vines to strangle them or make their cars crash. The lighting and cinematograpy are professional and although the heroine seldom changes facial expressions, her cold one-note performance fits her character perfectly and is entirely appropriate to the script. Unfortunately, the whole thing isn't very involving, devoting most of its length to mundane unpleasant incidents involving the new girl and her constant abuse by an inexplicably hostile bullying rich girl and an assortment of unsympathetic teachers. It tends to go on and on in this fashion for what feels like a very long time before the supernatural element is finally brought into play. The movie has its good points, but one can't deny that Amicus could have told this slight story more effectively as a twelve-minute segment of one of their horror anthologies back in the '70s.

1st watched 10/21/2009 – 7 out of 10 (Dir-Lucky McKee): Scary, atmospheric chiller about a girls boarding school in the woods that is haunted by something.(which we really don't find out what it is 'til the last scene of the movie) A girl, played by Agnes Bruckner, is brought to the school by her parents supposedly because she's gifted and they want her to be their prize to gloat about to other parents, but actually they are just getting her out of the way because she's different. The school is eerie right from the beginning with a very straight-laced unemotional headmistress, played perfectly by Patricia Clarkson, a twitching teacher and other scary-looking old folk. We can tell the young girl is different at the beginning and that she doesn't mesh well with others but we don't know if the voices she hears are in her head or are coming from the woods. A story is told in a tongue-in-cheek way about how the school was established by some witches that come out of the woods, but again it's hard to tell how real this is. This is what makes this movie good – it's ambiguity. There is an eerie chill around but you don't know why until the end. And then the end isn't an all-out gorefest but is scary and definitely different. This is one of the better scary movies I've seen in awhile. It does what it's supposed to do without being over-the-top and overly-gross. These aren't the type of movies I usually enjoy, so this is really saying something coming from me. I'd like to own this movie, but I might be too scared to watch it again.(I admit it OK, I'm a loaf)

A young arsonist is tossed into a prestigious all girls boarding school for "gifted" children and immediately starts to realize that the teachers might be witches using the student body for their own nefarious rituals.

The Woods appears to have a decent budget and the cast is wonderful, but the script feels a few drafts away from memorable and the tone switches from serious to semi-comic a bit too often to take anything that's happening on screen seriously. It also sticks us with a lead character who comes across as too sour and surly to ever get on her side and root for her.

I'd been awaiting this film's release for over a year now, and finally, after a bunch of problems with editing and whatnot, this movie got a DVD release. "The Woods" tells the story of a troubled girl named Heather (Agnes Bruckner), who is sent to a secluded private girls school in 1965 by her estranged parents after causing problems and lighting a tree on fire in their back yard. Ms. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson), along with two other women, run the old school. Heather doesn't seem to fit in at the school, and has a rough first week there, getting in scuffles with a snobby bully named Samantha (Rachel Nichols). Her only friend is Marcy, a quiet girl who is nice but shy. As she spends more time around the school, Heather has nightmares and hears strange voices, and is told the story of some witches who took over the school 100 years ago. As more strange events occur in and around the woods surrounding the school, girls begin to disappear.

Unlike some, I found "The Woods" to be a satisfying horror film. I'll start off with the story - it's intriguing but derivative, I'd describe it as a hybrid of "Suspiria" and "The Watcher in the Woods", which are both films that I love, I might add. While it does borrow ideas from these films, it's nonetheless an imaginative and entertaining movie. The direction in the film was great - Lucky McKee, who spawned the unique fairy-tale-like horror film, "May", does a good job with this film. There are some really creative & spooky sequences and some nice cinematography to offer, plus the great '60s atmosphere was strongly present, brought to life through the costumes, sets, and the vintage score, and providing a perfect backdrop for the story to take place. I tend to have a soft spot for period pieces, so I really liked the time setting.

The acting was on par and flowed naturally, the whole cast performed very well. Agnes Bruckner is likable in her role and Patricia Clarkson was great as the mysterious, something-isn't-quite-right-about-her Mrs. Traverse. Horror legend Bruce Campbell (of the "Evil Dead" series) plays Heather's father, although his role is pretty minor. And Rachel Nichols, who had a small role in the "Amityville Horror" remake, plays the rude school bully very well. There are some neat special effects used nicely throughout the film, and weren't too overdone. The CG was surprisingly really real-looking. I felt the conclusion of the of the film was slightly rushed, but I've seen films end much quicker than this, so for me it wasn't really a big deal. Plus, the ending features some great witch slashings via an axe, which was a nice addition to the film since the majority of it is gore free.

Overall, "The Woods" is a satisfying horror movie. It's different, but it's imaginative and throughly entertaining, with a great story and a strong vintage atmosphere. Definitely not bad at all, especially for a horror period piece. Other than the slightly rushed conclusion, I can't really say anything bad about it. It took over a year to finally get a release (in any form), but the wait was well worth it. I love stuff like this, so it was almost perfect for me. One of the better horror films of the past year. 9/10.

Enjoyed this very mysterious film dealing with an all girls school which is surrounded by deep woods in New England during 1956. Heather Fasulo, (Agnes Bruckner) is a young girl and her mother does not get along with her teenage daughter and wants her to be put in this private school. Heather encounters some real mean and nasty girls to deal with and one girl called her fire crotch and treats her real rough and the two of them are always pulling hair and beating each other up. Ms. Traverse, (Patricia Clarkson) who is the school's principal and is very interested in Heather and she knows that Heather has special talents that are supernatural and is able to balance rocks and items on tables and has a special ability to hear voices. This story grows and grows into an intense horror film and you will never believe what happens in the woods. Enjoy.

In the year 2002, a young Californian director named Lucky McKee too the independent film scene by surprise with a modest tale of horror and suspense named "May", the tale of a young woman traumatized by her difficult childhood. "May" quickly became a cult-favorite due to its remarkably well-done script, it's superbly original direction and the breakthrough performance of Angela Bettis in the lead role. Thanks to this success, three years later McKee was offered a bigger project by United Artists, a horror film named "The Woods". Sadly, the film ended up shelved due to the company's many problems until 2006, when finally, "The Woods" was released straight to video. While far from the originality of "May", this classy Gothic horror is definitely a worthy film that really deserved a theatrical release, as it's infinitely superior to most films that do get one these days.

Set in 1965, "The Woods" is the story of Heather Fasulo (Agnes Bruckner), a young and troubled teenage girl who is sent to an isolated private school for girls by her parents after her failed attempt to burn her house. As she gets used to her new school, she begins to experience strange supernatural events after strangely, she is granted a scholarship by the headmistress, Ms. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson). Heather begins to hear voices from the woods calling her, and begins to have visions of horror apparently related to a legend surrounding witchcraft and a secret of the school's past. Soon Heather will have to unveil those secrets as the voices of the woods claim the should Marcy (Lauren Birkell), the only friend she's ever had.

"The Woods" is David Ross' debut as scriptwriter, and while of course it shows some of the common problems of a first time writer, it also shows that Ross knows his influences very well (in more than a way, the story is a homage to Argento's "Suspiria"). While Ross' story of horror and isolation may not be the most original in the world, what makes it stand out is the fact that it is always focused on its characters and their interactions. Through the story one can really get to know not only the main character, but also the many supporting characters no matter how small their role is. It's not exactly a character study, but it's an excellent (and rarely seen these days) way to build up a horror film.

It's not a surprise that McKee accepted this project, as Ross' script takes on many of McKee's familiar themes such as loneliness and angst. What it's really surprising is the way that McKee makes the story his own with a style that seems to adapt classic Gothic horror to his own artistic ideal without being unfaithful to both and without being too much of a copy of his previous masterpiece. McKee creates a film that shows his evolution as a filmmaker, his domain of the genre and most of all, a versatility that certainly shows that he is more than a one hit wonder. It's also worth to point out that McKee makes the most of John R. Leonetti's wonderful cinematography and specially of the eerie score by John Frizzell and Jaye Barnes Luckett; creating a haunting horror film that like Ross' script, pays good homage to Argento's legendary masterpiece.

One of the best things about "May" was the excellent cast and with "The Woods", McKee continues to show his skills at getting remarkable performances from his actors. Leading the cast is Agnes Bruckner as Heather, and while nothing amazing, she carries the film and makes us care for her character. The film's jewel is without a doubt Patricia Clarkson's deliver as Ms. Traverse, and every scene with her is a joy to watch. Lauren Birkell appears in a supporting role as Marcy, and among the younger cast she is easily the best actress of the movie. I hope to see more of her in the future. Rachel Nichols, Emma Campbell and legendary horror actor Bruce Campbell complete the cast, each one of them delivering great acting in their respective roles (specially Bruce in an atypical role for him).

Personally I think that "The Woods"' biggest problem would be the high expectations created by McKee's previous work. It's not that the film lacks quality (it's certainly really good), but it's not exactly in the same tone as "May" or "Sick Girl". "The Woods" plays on the tone of older, classic horrors with ominous Gothic atmospheres and a slow build up that will probably disappoint people expecting something more "modern" (although this doesn0t mean that McKee's style is out of place). The slow way the film's plot unfolds and the notorious lack of "scares" in the classic way may be one of the reasons the movie was sent straight to video. A big shame if you ask me, as this classy and elegant horror film is as good (if not better) than the series of slashers and remakes released lately.

It's safe to say that the promising talent that McKee showed up in "May" was not the product of a mere lucky strike, and that with "The Woods" McKee continues his growth as a director expanding his horizons to other film-making styles. This movie is a very recommended film to those with a preference for Gothic films about the supernatural, and of course to fans of "Suspiria". It's really great to be able to finally see "The Woods", as for once, the long wait for it was worthy. 8/10

Someone wrote about this movie that it was a pointless piece altogether. I'm pretty sure i agree. And i strongly felt i had already seen it a couple of years back.

The pacing is slow, the premise been done, the acting, although some claim it to be fine, was passable and even bad at times and the story just doesn't keep one interested. By the time the gore sets in, i was already dozed of and my mind was occupied with random thoughts not concerning the movie i was watching.

Sure there are some pretty scenes, nice wardrobes etc etc but who cares when a thriller or any type of movie just bores the hell out of u.

Rating this more than a five is just being kind.

2/10