A man seeks answers to the disappearance of his sister by venturing into an ominous, potentially haunted forest, in this nerve-wracking found-footage thriller from Midnight Madness veterans Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett (You’re Next, The Guest).
The first thing we see is a video of someone running at breakneck speed through the narrow hallways of a house, until the image cuts out and we're left wondering what happened. But just before that moment, a figure is seen for an instant, reflected in a mirror.
Peter (Brandon Scott) believes that figure is his sister, who disappeared in 1994 in the woods of Maryland. So, he sets out into those same woods to find the mysterious house, joined by two friends: one a filmmaker who wants to document Peter's quest, the other a childhood companion who remembers the original failed search.
Armed with GPS-enabled cameras, microphones, and even a drone, they enter the forest, following a pair of paranormal experts they find on the dark web. The ghost-hunter guides are against entering the woods at night, but Peter and his friends ignore the admonitions — and it all goes terribly wrong. Distant crackling sounds turn into a thunderous cacophony tearing through the branches overhead. Time and reality are distorted amid these sinister trees whose tendrils wind their way around Peter and his friends, awakening their most primal fears.
With the blessing of the original creators of The Blair Witch Project, Wingard and Barrett breathe new life into the dormant chiller concept. Grab your camping gear and get ready for a delightfully disturbing and original take on a classic modern fright.
COLIN GEDDES
Screenings
Ryerson Theatre
Scotiabank 3
Scotiabank 14
Scotiabank 2