Any plot involving a group of teenagers or young adults spending nights in a cabin in the middle of nowhere usually leads to a series of Machiavellian events triggered by supernatural forces or villains out of their depth. Usually there is a macabre backstory narrated by a character who is usually discarded after fulfilling its purpose, and tension builds due to unusual situations. In the case of Forest of Death, the basics are ignored in order to present a story free of tension and far from entertaining the masses.

A group of friends decide to spend the weekend away in a remote cabin in the woods. What they thought would be a weekend full of relaxation, alcohol, sex and memorable moments, ends up being a claustrophobic torment when paranoia and unwelcome guests plague their party nights to turn them into their possible final days.

Forest of Death seems to fall in the subgenre of paranormal with a slight hope of being ridiculous. What could have been a well-structured plot with characters developed at some depth, chose to be a series of montages about austere characters supposedly having fun without any concern around the cabin– it makes Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 look like a misunderstood masterpiece.

The initial problem with Forest of Death is its lack of meaning in the script itself. Unfortunately, it can be interpreted as a minimal effort invested to make events natural instead of capturing them as simple facts that do not emotionally impact the characters themselves, living them firsthand. Even the lack of reaction from the main cast attributes to the inequality between cause and effect and indifference to what they see– all of these without considering the lack of common sense in the first two acts and their subsequent over-acceptance of their fates.

Forest of Death cries horror, but it doesn’t even live in this forest of supposed doom and regrets. The only doom found could be in its final product, and the only regret could be naming it with a frightful title that leaves nothing left to the imagination while revealing every twist and turn– just as if this maze was mapped on purpose.

1 OUT OF 10 LIGHTERS