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The Forest
2016 93 min United States of America R 12+
★3.9
Horror, Thriller, Mystery
Director: Jason Zada
Trailers
Description
Set in the Aokigahara Forest, a real-life place in Japan where people go to end their lives. Against this backdrop, a young American woman comes in search of her twin sister, who has mysteriously disappeared.
Budget:
$10M
US Gross:
$26.59M
Worldwide:
$37.61M
Starring
Natalie Dormer
Actor
Eoin Macken
Actor
Stephanie Vogt
Actor
Awards
1 win & 1 nomination total
Key opinion
The Forest is widely criticized for its reliance on uninspired jump scares, a disjointed plot, and failure to capitalize on the atmospheric potential of its real-world location. While some viewers appreciate Natalie Dormer's physical presence, the consensus remains that the film is a dull and poorly executed horror experience.
| Direction | The film fails to generate effective horror, relying on predictable, repetitive jump scares rather than building genuine tension. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is characterized by illogical character choices, aimless pacing, and a failure to provide necessary emotional depth for the protagonist's mission. | |
| Acting | Natalie Dormer’s physical performance is a visual highlight, though it cannot compensate for the film's broader structural flaws. | |
| Ending | The film is heavily criticized for its unsatisfying, lackluster conclusion that fails to resolve the narrative in a meaningful way. | |
| Pacing | While most find the film's pacing dull and aimless, a minority perspective interprets the slow, restrained approach as a deliberate, philosophical exercise in atmospheric storytelling. |