The Devil's Woods

THE DEVIL'S WOODS is a zero budget Irish horror film that might as well have been shot on home video because that's how cheap it looks. This certainly isn't a professional production as the standard of the script, acting, and camera-work are all below par. This is one of those films that you end up sitting through in the hope of something good happening, only to be frustrated by the time you get to the climax and realise it won't.

Things begin on a gory note with a murder in the woods before the film moves on to your typical group of drug-taking youths who decide to holiday in the countryside. I still don't understand they they constantly make these modern-day horror film characters so unlikeable; at least some of the characters in those 1980s slashers were fun, goofy, or friendly.

What transpires is plenty of shaky camera-work as characters run around and are menaced, along with endless padding such as scenes of the characters driving around in their car and the like. It's all rather pointless, and the dragged-out ending doesn't help. It's amazing that a film like THE DEVIL'S WOODS can play out without summoning up a single second of suspense. Perhaps they should have gone down the found footage route as that might have made it a bit more realistic.

IMDB puts this as a horror and drama, but I would just go with horror. Anthony White directed and produced it, and Steven Cromwell who is one of the producers also acts in the film, so it's a low budget film. It was also filmed in Dublin and County Meath in Ireland, so the scenes outside are nice. The beginning bit, without giving anything away, was pretty gruesome for the two characters, and this is before the credits even kick in.

Love the fact when they walk into a local pub, as in very local, everything stops and it's silent. Been to a few myself like that, it can be a bit daunting.

Some special effects are lacking, at one point someone had died, we saw some blood, camera started moving to where it was coming from, then darted to the side of the body, without seeing the actual wound.

Music is good, but you can tell it is on the very low budget side, think it was 800 Euros. There is a scene at a house that before I knew how much it cost, you could just tell.

Ending was good, and they felt like real people, as in the actors. Anyone that has gone camping, or been to a festival or even just messed around with your friends, is that kind of feeling.

Okay, I know I am very critical of horror movies but I do love them. I just hate when they try to get "artsy" or use intense music as an aid. I don't mind the intense music if its used correctly. This film uses intense music that leads to nothing. And what's with the color filters? Really? Takes me back to when vhs first came out and I saw a brooke shields horror movie that used red flashing tones to warn you of a scary moment lol. This movie had great promise but I couldn't even finish it. The music was too annoying and the color flashing irritating.

I am a fan of the horror genre which has it's fair share of B-grade or non mainstream movies. When I saw the movie poster for this film and read the description I was able to make some determinations about the movie prior to watching it. When I learned it didn't have a theatrical release and instead went straight to Amazon Prime streaming, without a rating, it cemented those thoughts.

I was encouraged at the beginning of the movie because it opens to a shot of someone cutting up some lines of white powdery substance next to a Captain Spaulding (from Rob Zombie movies) bobble head. I thought maybe I judged too early. Nope, This movie is exactly what you think. Less than great acting, to less than great writing, to a less than great plot. It all comes together for a less than great movie.

Predictable jump scenes coupled with predictable plot points made this a movie that I'll likely not watch again.

5 Stars

Devil's Woods is an Irish indie horror film and director Anthony Whites first feature length film

The film opens with an intense scene, a great jump scare and a brutality that sets the pace for the rest of the film.

Devils woods slows down in its pace and introduces the group of protagonists. The Second of the film is tad slowly paced and tiny bit jarring with the intense opening but it does provide insight to the characters and their relationships and helps the audience care what happens to them.

The end of the film however picks right back up with its intensity and its threatening feeling in the final act. It feels like there is something around every corner ready spring out. It creates an oppressive and truly fear inducing atmosphere.

Over all "Devil's Woods" is good indie horror flick with a lot of Interesting ideas and concepts and great practical effects.

Well done to White.