There’s an argument to be made that horror movies set in nature take advantage of our primal fears more than those that aren’t. After all, there is much we don’t know about the natural world around us, which is scary. Woodland Grey is the latest film to take advantage of these fears, and really, the less we say about it, the better, so we don’t give anything away. We can however give you a basic gist of what it’s about.
Woodland Grey is the story of two people. William (Nurses’ Ryan Blakely), a man living alone in the middle of the forest, and Emily (Jenny Raven), a woman whose life he saves. Why William and Emily are in the forest in the first place is the mystery that will be solved as the film plays out. But needless to say William has a secret that causes all sorts of problems.
In many ways Woodland Grey is an unusual film. It calls upon many classic horror film tropes, yet marches to its own beat without playing out the way you would expect. Really what it does is that forces you to ask question after question. You hope to discover the profound meaning that lurks behind the plot. It’s the type of film you want to discuss afterwards to see what conclusions others have drawn from it. As deep as the film is, it isn’t without its flaws however. At times it can be a little too surreal, with false conclusions that it doesn’t need. And the acting can be a little too over the top. The deepness also makes the film a little too smart, which will turn away some viewers.
Woodland Grey looks good, has a decent plot and has its share of scares, but it’s not for everyone.
