Admirable film.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

You've got to be pretty good to make a movie that can be scary in a beautiful forest on a sunny day with blue skies, but that's pretty much what Haunted Forest accomplishes with an interesting story, decent visual effects and an exceptionally good musical score. The small cast is up to the task, and the three main characters are very believable. There is a minimal amount of gore, and the sense of isolation contributes to a film which becomes more and more claustrophobic as it progresses. While providing more suspense, tension and fantasy than actual horror-- (although some decent effects), this film is definitely worth a look.

This is basically a failed attempt to make a horror movie... it doesn't really start too well, and from then on, it's pretty much downhill too. The casting is nothing special, not to good or too bad, but the actor's performances are hideous! You start by thinking It'll have a decent plot, but soon you'll realize you were VERY, VERY WRONG! The story is set in the forest, what seems to be interesting and creative, but the lack of action and the movie's slow-passed rhythm screw the few decent things in this movie. Those things are the scary scenes. You'll jump out of your seat at least two or three times, and that is what matters in a horror movie. Overall: It is a decent movie for it's type.

Haunted Forest is a very decent low budget indie programmer. It sure doesn't tell one a story that one hasn't heard before, nor does it have much of a point as you look back on it, but it has some very redeeming moments of horror, overall beautiful picture (something you don't usually expect from a cheapie), good music, decent FX and largely a likable cast. There are a few characters who don't contribute to the storyline much and leave the viewer wonder why they were added in the first place. But obviously the mission of such a film is to scare the viewer, and if some new visual scares are introduced to the sturdy row of old school horror handbook, I can only applaud. Yes, some moments were rather innovative and redeem the shortcomings of the film.It's also the first indie film I've seen, which employs the Japanese invention, the "Ringu-Girl" - meaning the pale barefooted girl with long black hair combed in front of her face, something that all the viewers raved about some 6-7 years ago, who then crossed into the mainstream horror but the inclusion of whom nowadays has acquired something of a camp value. The idea of that creature in an American forest can seem bizarre, but the makers have actually put her to good use.So have no hesitation to sit through this film. Instead of a usual gore fest and body count you get a rather poetic rendition of an old Indian legend with credible characters and moody atmosphere.

I thought at first after seeing the cover of the DVD that it was gonna be yet another B horror movie put out by Mapple.With them it can be really bad or really good.I ended up liking it.I really like indie movies and this one definitely comes across like one.I liked the acting in this movie.Everyone came across really real and believable.The effects were pretty good and the thrills! I jumped out of my seat and didn't see it coming.The audio wasn't that great though.I had to turn the volume up high just to hear the conversations.Or maybe it was done like that on purpose so that when the scary parts happen they are so loud that it scares the living sh*t out of you.Either way it was effective.At times the story didn't make a lot of sense and there were definitely insufficiencies.I would have preferred Satinka played by an actual Native American actress instead of a Japanese actress.Or someone who could at least pass as being native Indian, not Asian looking.But it is a fun,creepy little movie guaranteed to scare you or at least make you jump.