In the crowded landscape of found footage horror films, Horror in the Forest attempts to carve out its own niche by combining the subgenre’s familiar tropes with folkloric elements. The story follows a group of friends who venture into the deep woods to investigate the urban legend of a vengeful witch. Armed with cameras to document their amateur paranormal investigation, they quickly find themselves in over their heads as the malevolent presence makes its eerie mark. While not entirely escaping the well-trodden found footage conventions, Horror in the Forest tries to inject some new life through its central witch mythology and a blend of jump scares with more atmospheric dread. However, the mixed reviews that i seen before watching the film on Tubi suggest it doesn’t fully stick the landing in terms of originality or execution.
Some critique it as a derivative Blair Witch Project knockoff, while others praise the effective camerawork and performances for an indie production. With such polarized reactions, Horror in the Forest seems to be a divisive effort – embraced by some horror fans looking for simple scares, but written off by others as failing to bring anything new or noteworthy to the found footage canon. Whether you view it as a fresh, modest frightener or stale rehash may depend on your tolerance for the genre’s well-worn formulas.
Horror in the Forest largely fails to rise above the criticisms that have plagued the found footage genre for years. From the outset, it falls into the same contrivances and implausibilities that make willing suspension of disbelief so difficult with these types of films. Why would a group of people who suspect something nefarious is afoot continue to document everything on camera rather than focus on their safety? The characters’ motivations and decision-making never feel grounded in any real logic.
The film also can’t seem to escape the derivative comparisons to The Blair Witch Project that have been lobbed its way by many reviewers. From the ominous woodland setting to the shaky camerawork and the archetypal characters, Horror in the Forest mines very familiar territory without adding any inventive twists. The central witch mythology had potential to be an intriguing new spin, but it’s underleveraged and never fleshed out in a way that feels unique or compelling.
The performances, while admittedly not the worst examples of found footage acting, still fall victim to that subgenre’s tendency toward overacting during the intense moments. Too many scenes with characters shrieking hysterically into the camera lens undercut any sense of realism or tension. And for all the shaky frenetic camerawork attempting to unnerve viewers, the visual effects and set dressings never quite sell the authenticity of being in a genuinely creepy forest setting.
While a few effective jump scares punctuate the runtime, Horror in the Forest more often than not feels like a slog of boring filler content as the characters wander aimlessly. By the time the rote, unsatisfying ending inevitably arrives, it’s hard to muster much excitement or care about the fates of these one-dimensional protagonists. For horror fans craving originality, this derivative found footage misfire is more likely to induce yawns than yuks.
Horror in the Forest stands as a disappointing misfire that squanders its potential with a derivative, paint-by-numbers approach to the found footage horror genre. While a few redeeming qualities like decent camerawork and the occasional effective jump scare may slightly elevate it above the worst offenders, this indie effort lacks the originality, strong performances, and atmosphere necessary to make it worth seeking out.
For diehard fans of found footage horror who will watch anything in that niche style, Horror in the Forest could potentially deliver some cheap thrills if your expectations are sufficiently lowered. There’s a smattering of creepy moments and the witch folklore premise had some intrigue that’s never fully capitalized upon. But for anyone growing weary of the genre’s tropes and contrivances, this film brings little new to the table.
With so many superior found footage and supernatural horror offerings available, both from the indie and studio realms, there’s no compelling reason to go out of your way for this forgettable venture into the woods. It retreads extremely familiar territory without admirably transcending or subverting the cliches in any meaningful way. Skip this one and use your time seeking out more ingenious and satisfying horror tales – unless you find yourself utterly starved for content and willing to consume anything in the found footage realm, no matter how derivative. In that case, Horror in the Forest will temporarily satiate your niche craving, if leaving you hungrier for something meatier.
Watch Horror in the Forest for FREE!
If, despite the largely negative critiques, you find yourself still intrigued enough by the premise of Horror in the Forest to give it a watch, there’s a easy way to check it out without spending any money. The film is currently available to stream for free (with ads) on the Tubi service at the following link: https://tubitv.com/movies/100013235/horror-in-the-forest
With Tubi providing a risk-free way to view the movie, perhaps it’s worth a look for avid horror fans who’ve grown inured to the found footage flaws. You can judge for yourself whether Horror in the Forest transcends its derivative roots just enough to make for a passable low-budget frightener. Just don’t go in with expectations set too high. Adjust them to the “mildly diverting time-killer” level, and you may find fleeting moments of spooky fun dispersed between the eye-roll-inducing genre clichés.
At the very least, the free Tubi option allows you to sample the film’s merits and demerits without feeling cheated out of money for a dud purchase. Whether it ultimately joins the ranks of “good bad” cult fun or “just bad” skippable horror is something you can decide from the comfort of your own couch. The link is just a click away for those who can’t resist sampling an indie found footage attempt, however familiar the path may be.
