The Woods

In "The Woods," the year is 1965 and Heather Fasulo (Agnes Bruckner) is being sent to a boarding school located deep within the forest of rural Massachusetts. Despite her protests, her parents are convinced that this will help her overcome her recent behavior problems. Though Heather is hesitant at first, she quickly becomes friends with several of the other girls at the school, even as they all begin to notice strange occurrences happening in the forest.

Heather is haunted by recurring nightmares of her mother's death, and while wandering in the woods she discovers what she believes to be her mother's corpse. But as she begins to unravel the mystery of her mother's death, Heather finds herself being stalked by an unknown presence in the forest, one that seems to be growing more and more malevolent with each passing moment.

As the girls begin to disappear one by one, Heather becomes convinced that the school's headmistress, Ms. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson), is hiding something sinister, and that the forest is home to something far more dangerous than any of them could have imagined. With the help of her friends and a sympathetic teacher, Heather must uncover the truth about the school and the forest, and stop the evil that lurks within before it's too late.

Despite the eerie atmosphere and genuinely creepy moments, "The Woods" isn't strictly a horror movie, but more of a thriller with supernatural elements. It's a slow burn that builds tension gradually, with unexpected moments of violence and an ever-present sense of danger lurking just beyond the trees. The young cast is solid, with Agnes Bruckner delivering a convincing performance as a troubled teen grappling with grief and isolation.

While it never quite reaches the heights of other horror classics set in the woods, such as "The Blair Witch Project" or "The Evil Dead," "The Woods" is a solid entry into the genre, with a unique setting and a memorable twist ending that will keep you thinking long after the credits roll. Whether you're a fan of horror or just looking for a tense, atmospheric thriller, "The Woods" is worth checking out.