The Woods

2006

1h 31m

IMDb RATING

5.7/10

289

YOUR RATING

Rate

POPULARITY

Play trailer

2 Videos

20 Images

Mystery

Horror

Thriller

In 1965 New England, a troubled girl encounters mysterious happenings in the woods surrounding an isolated girls school that she was sent to by her estranged parents.

Directors

Lucky McKee

Writers

David Ross(screenplay by)

Stars

Agnes Bruckner

Emma Campbell

Bruce Campbell

See production, box office & company info

Videos2

Trailer
Watch Official Sizzle
Trailer
Watch Original Trailer

Top cast

Heather Fasulo

Alice Fasulo

Joe Fasulo

Mrs. Traverse

Marcy Turner

Ms. Cross

Ms. Leland

Mrs. Mackinaw

Samantha Wise

Sheriff

Ann Whales

Ms. Charevoix

Ms. Arbor

School Nurse

Barb (as Missy Altro)

Angela Bettis

Voice in the Woods

Linda Pine

Voice-over

Elizabeth Marleau

Other Girl

Directors

Lucky McKee

Writers

David Ross(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Good plot and haunting ambiance, but mediocre story and weak characters RELEASED IN 2006 and directed by Lucky McKee, "The Woods" chronicles events in 1965 New England when a troubled teen (Agnes Bruckner) is dropped off at a spooky remote boarding school for girls by her estranged parents (Bruce Campbell & Emma Campbell). Weird, witchy things ensue. Patricia Clarkson plays the dean while Lauren Birkell and Rachel Nichols play fellow students, one nice and the other mean. This is a mystery/horror flick that combines “Suspiria” (1977) with elements of “Carrie” (1976) and “The Ruins” (2008) or “Man-Thing” (2005) (yes, I realize “The Ruins” came out later; I’m just trying to give people an idea of what the movie’s like). The haunting atmosphere and the Montreal location are very good, as well as the unsettling creepiness. So the plot is a winner, the film looks good and there’s an effective darkness, if that’s your thang. Unfortunately, the story is underwhelming. It’s too ambiguous and feels incomplete, like a half hour of events were cut from the runtime. The hints of levitation and telekinetic abilities don't amount to much, nor do the leaves on a bed. The characters are either underdeveloped or unlikable, except for maybe the protagonist (Bruckner). All we know about Heather is that she recently set fire to something and there’s enmity between her and her self-absorbed mother. The father is a pushover. We don't learn much about them or anyone else at the academy. Marcy provokes pity while Samantha is too over-the-top as the villain. You’re more curious about WHY she’s so mean than anything else. With all the young females available, the filmmakers drop the ball by not taking advantage of these resources (and I’m not tawkin’ bout nudity or sleaze). The emotionless deliveries of the all-female faculty don’t help, but I realize they were written that way to create a sense of oddness and it works. The witchcraft elements are decidedly subdued, which I liked; the focus is on the formidableness of the forest itself (hence the title). Speaking of which, the woods F/X in the last act are well done. THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour 31 minutes and was shot at McGill University, Montréal, Québec. WRITER: David Ross. GRADE: C

Wuchak02 Apr, 2018