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IMDbPro

The Forest

  • 20162016
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
4.8/10
43K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,700
706
Natalie Dormer in The Forest (2016)
A supernatural thriller set in the legendary Aokigahara Forest at the base of Mt. Fuji in Japan. A young American woman, Sara, goes in search of her twin sister, who has mysteriously disappeared. Despite everyone's warnings to "stay on the path," Sara enters the forest determined to discover the truth about her sister's fate -- only to be confronted by the angry and tormented souls of the dead that prey on anyone who wanders into the forest.
Play trailer2:29
3 Videos
72 Photos
  • Horror
  • Mystery
  • Thriller
A woman goes into Japan's Suicide Forest to find her twin sister, and confronts supernatural terror.A woman goes into Japan's Suicide Forest to find her twin sister, and confronts supernatural terror.A woman goes into Japan's Suicide Forest to find her twin sister, and confronts supernatural terror.
IMDb RATING
4.8/10
43K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,700
706
  • Director
    • Jason Zada
  • Writers
    • Nick Antosca
    • Sarah Cornwell
    • Ben Ketai
  • Stars
    • Natalie Dormer
    • Eoin Macken
    • Stephanie Vogt
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jason Zada
  • Writers
    • Nick Antosca
    • Sarah Cornwell
    • Ben Ketai
  • Stars
    • Natalie Dormer
    • Eoin Macken
    • Stephanie Vogt
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 242User reviews
    • 177Critic reviews
    • 34Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Videos3

    Trailer #1
    Trailer 2:29
    Trailer #1
    Official Trailer #2
    Trailer 1:03
    Official Trailer #2
    THE FOREST - 'Say Something' Clip
    Clip 1:13
    THE FOREST - 'Say Something' Clip

    Photos72

    Natalie Dormer in The Forest (2016)
    Taylor Kinney in The Forest (2016)
    Taylor Kinney in The Forest (2016)
    Natalie Dormer in The Forest (2016)
    Natalie Dormer in The Forest (2016)
    Natalie Dormer in The Forest (2016)
    The Forest (2016)
    The Forest (2016)
    The Forest (2016)
    Natalie Dormer in The Forest (2016)
    Natalie Dormer in The Forest (2016)
    Yukiyoshi Ozawa, Natalie Dormer, Taylor Kinney, and Eoin Macken in The Forest (2016)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Natalie Dormer
    Natalie Dormer
    • Saraas Sara…
    Eoin Macken
    Eoin Macken
    • Robas Rob
    Stephanie Vogt
    Stephanie Vogt
    • Valerieas Valerie
    Osamu Tanpopo
    • Homeless Manas Homeless Man
    • (as Tanpopo Osamu)
    Yasuo Tobishima
    • Sushi Chefas Sushi Chef
    Ibuki Kaneda
    • Mei (Schoolgirl)as Mei (Schoolgirl)
    Akiko Iwase
    Akiko Iwase
    • Head Teacheras Head Teacher
    Kikuo Ichikawa
    • Businessmanas Businessman
    Noriko Sakura
    Noriko Sakura
    • Mayumias Mayumi
    Jozef Aoki
    Jozef Aoki
    • Visitor Center Morgue Manas Visitor Center Morgue Man
    Yûho Yamashita
    • Sakuraas Sakura
    • (as Yuho Yamashita)
    Taylor Kinney
    Taylor Kinney
    • Aidenas Aiden
    Gen Seto
    Gen Seto
    • Narusawa Bartenderas Narusawa Bartender
    Terry Diab
    Terry Diab
    • Grandmaas Grandma
    Nadja Mazalica
    • Saraas Sara…
    Lidija Antonic
    • Mother of Saraas Mother of Sara…
    Takako Akashi
    • Ubasute Old Woman #1as Ubasute Old Woman #1
    Yuriri Naka
    Yuriri Naka
    • Narusawa Young Womanas Narusawa Young Woman
    • Director
      • Jason Zada
    • Writers
      • Nick Antosca
      • Sarah Cornwell
      • Ben Ketai
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Natalie Dormer actually went to the Suicide Forest with her Japanese driver for research. She ventured five meters off the path to take photos and her Japanese driver would not step half an inch over the path.
    • Goofs
      During their first excursion into the forest with Sara, Aiden & Michi remove a decaying dead body hanging from a tree. As Michi cuts the rope, Aiden takes the body in a "Fireman's Carry" across his shoulders and lowers it to the ground.

      The chances of this happening in real life are extremely unlikely. Even an inexperienced person like Aiden would know better than to make close, direct physical contact with a putrefying corpse, which is undoubtedly swarming with bacteria and insects- as well as leaking any number of bacteria laden bodily fluids- creating a highly unsanitary situation.

      Furthermore- immediately after having the corpse directly across his shoulders- Aiden continues his hike in close proximity to his companions. Not only does his light color T-Shirt show no sign of bodily fluids or rotting flesh, in real life the smell of the decaying body on Aiden's clothing and skin would be so overwhelming as to be unbearable, not only to him but to those around him (that's why those who work around crime scenes, dead bodies, etc., wear special disposable bio suits and sometimes must even dispose of their street clothing if it is saturated with the odor of decaying tissue- the smell is that bad).
    • Quotes

      [from trailer]

      Sara: My sister Jess and I, we are identical twins. Once something happens to the one of us, the other one could tell. It's hard to explain, but I can just feel it. She's in trouble, and she needs me.

    • Connections
      Featured in Monster Vision: A History and Analysis of Horror Cinema (2016)
    • Soundtracks
      Japan
      Written by Alex Banks and Hannah Thomas

      Courtesy of Cavendish Music

      Under license from 5 Alarm Music

    User reviews242

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    Neither bad enough to be completely dismissed nor good enough to warrant serious consideration, "The Forest" is a wholly mediocre experience...
    An idea can be a powerful thing. Especially when explored well and thoroughly.

    And indeed a horror-film based around the famous (and infamous) Aokigaha Forest of Japan is a powerful idea, filled to the brim with endless potential for drama and sheer ghostly thrills.

    The problem is... even a great idea can falter and disappoint when mishandled and when not explored properly. Which is sadly the case with the 2016 horror-flick "The Forest."

    It's a movie with a great idea behind it... that sadly falls just short of being anything special due to an over-reliance on generic jump-scares, abbreviated story development and occasional convolution in its storytelling. And while it's definitely not a terrible film, its inability to elevate itself beyond the level of "mediocre" is most definitely its greatest fault. It's neither bad enough to become unintentionally entertaining or be dismissed, yet also not good enough to warrant serious consideration from anyone except the most desperate horror fans looking for a quick-fix of the creeps. It's merely a "meh" movie with nothing special to set it apart.

    The film follows American Sara Price (Natalie Dormer), who is informed that her twin-sister Jess has vanished into Japan's Aokigahara Forst- a vast forest at the base of Mount Fuji, well- known for the numerous suicides to have occurred deep within. Unable to believe her sister is dead due to their deep and complex connection as twins, Sara ventures into the forest with reporter Aiden (Taylor Kinney) in hopes of finding her before the dark forces surrounding them claim her very soul...

    The fundamental issue with the film is that the idea- an intriguing one- is mishandled. In the hands of a better storyteller, this set- up would hold much promise. But director Jason Zada and the screenwriters seem scared to try anything new beyond "throw in a few eerie establishing shots and then have something jump out in front of the camera every 10 minutes." It feels very stock and clichéd with its over-reliance on jump-scares and a distinct lack of atmosphere building in many scenes.

    Not that I can only blame the director and writers, because it is pretty darned obvious watching the film that there was a fair amount of studio-meddling. Particularly in the first 10 minutes... a prolonged montage of events that clearly were a heavily-abbreviated versions of a much larger sequence, and just stank of "a producer thought the scene was boring and made them edit it down to a break- neck pace." (As happens all too often.)

    That being said, the film isn't a total loss. The storyline definitely has its moments, and its fun trying to figure out where things will end up. Dormer is a charming enough lead. And even though the scares routinely rely on cheap jumps, there is a few genuinely startling moments of atmosphere peppered in that will generate an honest thrill or two. (Including one well-executed sequence involving the body of a hanged man stalking our hero, and a few moments where the characters are completely surrounded by spirits in very fun shots that have a great tone of oppression.) And sue me... I liked the idea behind the ending, even if its execution was a bit too fast. (Though I will not spoil it here.)

    Overall, "The Forest" is nothing more than a middle-of-the-road thriller. I can't recommend it (thank god I didn't have to pay for my ticket), but I also can't NOT recommend it. It's the sort-of film that would be worth checking out on cable or Netflix for free on a slow rainy afternoon. Good for a laugh and maybe a jump or two... but nothing more.

    I give it a VERY average 5 out of 10. If you're a horror fan and happen to catch it on TV, by all means give it a shot. But don't make it a priority.
    helpful•6
    2
    • TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness
    • Jan 29, 2016

    FAQ1

    • Why is no one in the forest seem to be bothered by mosquitos or any flying bug?.

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 8, 2016 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Khu Rừng Tự Sát
    • Filming locations
      • Tara National Forest, Serbia
    • Production companies
      • AI-Film
      • Lava Bear Films
      • Phantom Four Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $26,594,261
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $12,741,176
      • Jan 10, 2016
    • Gross worldwide
      • $39,712,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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