Something in the Woods

Director(s) - David Ford (Sense of Urgency) and Tony Gibson (Gypsy Moon)
Starring - David Ford, Angela Harger (Deadly Notes, The Session), and Mike L. Hall (Devil's Deal, Skookum: The Hunt for Bigfoot)
Release Date - 2016
Genre - Horror
Tagline - "Inspired by true events"
Format - Streaming (Online Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     With the Mothman Festival approaching I am in a huge cryptid mood.  I've loved cryptozoology for years but with recent visits to Point Pleasant I've become a little more obsessed with it.  As I was going through everything I need to set up the Horror Society/Wild Eye Releasing booth I decided to look up other films centered around bigfoot, Mothman, Braxton County Monster, and so on when I came across a Facebook page for the family thriller Something in the Woods.  This was a film right up my alley so I reached out to them.  They were kind enough to send over a link to an online screener.  With my review of Mountain Devil looming I decided to make a bigfoot double feature.  I want to thank the folks by Something in the Woods for allowing me to check the film out for the site!

     The film follows John Hartman and his family who lives in a small town surrounded by forests.  He is a foreman for a logging company that is making great strides in the logging industry.  Things take a dark turn when John spots a hairy creature walking on two legs around his property.  He tries to catch the creature but it seems to be one step ahead of him.  When he learns that the creature has been spying on his youngest son he sets out to kill the creature before it can tear his family apart.

     Something in the Woods is not your typical horror film.  In fact, this dark thriller is aimed for families.  With that being said, it is still a fun film for any horror fan or cryptid enthusiasts.  The acting in this one was surprisingly good.  Budgets usually dictate talent but this film has one hell of a cast regardless of the budget.  Director David Ford is awesome as the film's lead.  He is a powerful character and really has that fatherly charm that people look for in a farther figure.  He takes control of his scenes and carries the story.  The supporting cast is just as great and I can't praise them enough.  The story for this one is great for the topic but it is a bit of a slower burner.  The story does a great job with character development and establishing the story but it moves at a snails pace.  A little more action or story oriented scenes scattered throughout would have made this one a lot better.  Finally, this isn't the blood and gore bigfoot flick like The Big F.  Instead of gore and practical effects we get solid storytelling and a creature feature set in a dreary atmosphere.  Overall, Something in the Woods may not be the horror film you are looking for but fans of bigfoot and other cryptids will really enjoy this dark thriller.  Check it out!