The Forest
The Foreststruggles to transform its spooky premise and haunting setting into memorable or unique on-screen movie scares.
Upon her arriver , Sara learns that Jess , who had been working as an english teacher at a Japanese shoal , had journey unaccompanied into the Aokigahara forest ( also known as Japan ’s infamous " Suicide Forest " ) . For decades , countless saddened someone have enter Aokigahara to end their lives ; though , local caption suggest something far more sinister might be happen . Convinced her sister is still live , Sara train to look for the woods , enlisting the assistance of a change of location writer , Aiden ( Taylor Kinney ) and local guide ( Yukiyoshi Ozawa ) to company her ; however , Sara ’s guilt and desperation leave her vulnerable to the influence of angry spirits that haunt Aokigahara - spirits who are determined to prevent Sara from ever bequeath Suicide Forest .
Freshman film producer Jason Zada directedThe Forest- and the finished product is a meet reflection of both the moviemaker ’s dream and rawness ( for a assorted result ) . Surrounded by a crew of equally green feature cinematographers and author , Zada maintain a level of sophistication and care that is rarely present in otherwise straightforward repugnance - thriller likeThe Forest . It ’s readable that Zada and his squad , along with maven Natalie Dormer ( Game of Thrones ) aimed to make a good movie - alas , in spite of that love , The Foreststruggles to transmute its spooky assumption and haunting setting into memorable or unique on - screen pic scare .
The Foresthas been marketed as " base on a True Story " and while the film ’s setting is real , andbasedin be mythology of Nipponese yūrei ( angry spirits ) , the tale of an American twin venturing into Aokigahara to find her troubled baby is a study of fiction . In the end , The Forestfumbles in balance fact with fiction throughout its 95 bit runtime - since the account of Sara and Jess Price , while an adequate entry tip into Aokigahara mythology , is never as interesting as Suicide Forest itself . The Japanese locale is a dandy circumstance for a ghost storey but Zada ’s repulsion tale stumbles from one familiar scary movie trope to bland leap panic attack after another - culminating in an anti - climactic final number that fails to payoff either the Sara Price fib or big yūrei legends .
Even though Natalie Dormer stars , the forest itself gives the most intriguing execution in the film . Zada is at his best when Sara and her chaperon first investigate the timberland - as the director coiffure a productive stage . Yet , after priming his audience with disturb contingent from the eerie ( veridical - world ) Aokigahara , Zada classify the story to nondescript camping sites , caves , and abandoned house , while character motivation and actions slide into thwarting bromide that chivy the entire horror genre ( read : The Forestequivalent of runningupa flight of stairs to get away from a murdering psycho ) . As a result , whatever recognition Zada clear in the first routine , with patient build - up and a keen eye for specifics , is dashed as soon as otherwise intelligent and level - guide grapheme start to do downright stupid things - even before the Suicide Forest startsactuallymessing with their heads .
Still , Dormer is substantial asThe Forest ’s primal scream queen - specially in the fount of challenges that could , in less capable hands , have been eye - rolling : scenes of paranoia , hallucination , and fright , not to mention the hurdle of playing ( not to mention tell apart ) both Sara and Jess , are n’t a blemish on the actress’spersonalfilmography . Zada and his film writer imbue Sara with enough layers and idiosyncrasies to keep the consultation invest in her foreign mission but her responses to the situation stretch out in Aokigahara in the end put the character at - betting odds with any believable groundwork ( albeit for a ghost story ) that was antecedently pose .
support player are mostly one - note scheme designed to add texture to Sara ’s backstory or explain Aokigahara lore - with the elision of Aiden ( flirt by of Taylor Kinney ) . Aiden does not do much to defy horror picture original but is a functional better half for Sara ’s mischance - walk a ok billet between friend and foe , as the forest begins to distort reality .
That all said , whileThe Forestis an overall missed chance , base on such an beguiling frame-up , viewers who are n’t looking for the next shivery picture show adept will still get a competent objet d’art of filmmaking - one that attempts ( sometimes unsuccessfully ) to blend revulsion and dramatic play into a sentiment - enkindle ghost story . Zada and his confederate shoot more substance and technique intoThe Forestthan vie filmmaker might with similar material . It ’s just that , finally , the assembled film is n’t very horrendous and does n’t utilize its greatest persuasiveness , the Aokigahara setting and Suicide Forest legend , to bring about a memorable note within the supernatural repulsion genre .
Thanks to Aokigahara mythology , and observant world - building , The Forestis a creepy-crawly movie - but unfocussed and sterile horror setups finally undermine any well - intentioned effort that Zada and his squad put forth . For curious film ( and Natalie Dormer ) fans , The Forestmay exit as an interesting misfire ( with a talented roster of actors and movie maker behind it ) but in Zada ’s aim tosaysomething interesting , in terms of quality , theme , and cinematography , his repugnance - thriller struggle to deport on its most basic destination : effective scares .
TRAILER
The Forestruns 95 minute of arc and is Rated PG-13 for trouble thematic capacity and images . Now playing in theaters .
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Natalie Dormer as Sara Price in The Forest
Taylor Kinney as Aiden in The Forest
Aokigahara in The Forest
