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The Movie: Sadly stuck on the shelf since 2003 before essentially getting sent direct-to-video, "The Woods" is the latest from director Lucky McKee (the popular cult film "May") and one of those rare direct-to-video features that one can only hope finds the audience on video that it should have gotten with the theatrical release that it deserved. The picture opens with Heather (Agnes Bruckner) getting sent off to a private school in the woods for girls with problems. Heather doesn't exactly get along well with either her fellow students or the staff, including the rather creepy headmistress, Ms. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson, who offers a wonderfully eerie performance.) Soon, Heather starts getting a creepy vibe from the rather stern staff and she begins hearing things from the woods. Some of the students start to vanish, with branches and leaves replacing them in their bed. Some of the girls think that the stories from the school's past are just fun and games, Heather worries that there's something truly evil brewing within school grounds. The film's performances are generally superb, especially Clarkson as the quietly creepy headmistress. Bruckner underplays her role as the heroine, but in a way that goes along with the mood of the picture and doesn't seem too reserved. Supporting performances, such as Rachel Nichols as the school bully and Bruce Campbell in a small role as Heather's father, are also solid. Those looking for a more graphic horror flick won't find it here, despite the "R". While there are some graphic moments throughout (such as the end), the majority of the movie is an eerie, subdued chiller along the lines of "The Others". While the film is predictable (despite figuring in advance how it would end, I still found the journey there involving) and the pace a tad slow, the acting and atmosphere still hold the attention quite well. The DVD VIDEO: The film is presented by Sony in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. The film appears crisp and well-defined on this DVD presentation, which offers an enjoyably subdued and moody color palette. As for flaws, a few minor traces of artifacting are spotted, but the presentation is otherwise free of edge enhancement, print flaws or other concerns. SOUND: "The Woods" offers a spectacular Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation. While the film's audio isn't an all-out assault, more intense scenes with spooky sound effects use the surrounds to magnificent effect to create a delightfully enveloping experience. Sound effects seem to have great depth and detail to them, and never sound "speaker-specific", instead floating about the room. Those who have a rear back surround will definitely want to engage it for this flick, as EX adds greatly to the experience. Audio quality is terrific, with crisp, punchy sound effects and clean, natural-sounding dialogue. EXTRAS: Unfortunately, all we get are trailers for other movies from the studio. Final Thoughts: "The Woods" offers plenty of moody chills and thrills, as well as some great performances. It's really unfortunate that the film got overlooked on its way to a direct-to-video release, as it deserved better. The DVD offers fine video and stellar audio quality, but no extras. Recommended for a Halloween rental for those looking for a less graphic and more eerie scary flick. 
Film Grade The Film B+ DVD Grades Video 92/A Audio: 96/A Extras: 69/D+ |