There is something inherently charming about a horror movie set inside a haunted attraction. The Haunted Forest taps directly into that seasonal magic, the kind that smells like fog machines, damp leaves, and overpriced cider. From the jump, it understands the appeal. Watching a slasher unfold in a theme park-style haunt is half the fun, and for a good stretch, this thing works exactly the way you want it to.
Grayson Gwaze anchors the film as Zach, a horror-obsessed high schooler who lands his dream job working at his cousin’s legendary haunted forest. Gwaze is genuinely solid here. He feels believable, grounded, and refreshingly natural, which goes a long way in an indie horror film that could have easily leaned into caricature. He is a pleasant surprise and someone you actually enjoy spending time with, which makes the early portions of the movie fly by.
Despite its small budget, The Haunted Forest punches above its weight in production value. The set design, makeup, and costumes do real work here, and the use of extras gives the attraction a lived-in, authentic feel. It feels like a real place with real people working it, not just a cheap backdrop for a body count. There is a lot of care on display, and it shows.
The cast chemistry is another unexpected highlight. This does not feel like a group of strangers awkwardly sharing screen time. You can tell they had fun making this, and that energy carries over. For a while, the film plays like a coming-of-age slasher, almost a horror version of Adventureland, and honestly, that is not a bad lane to be in. It is fun, cozy in a fall horror way, and easy to recommend as a seasonal watch. You could absolutely toss this into your Halloween rotation and have a good time.
Then someone dies, and the movie quietly starts to lose its footing.
After the first major kill, the focus shifts hard toward the coming-of-age drama side of things. The horror takes a backseat, and the pacing slows noticeably. The tonal pivot is not inherently wrong, but it feels odd given the setup. The film never fully commits to this new direction, and it also does not abandon it. Instead, it kind of hovers there, unsure of itself, until the very end.
Random influencers are introduced, and it doesn’t add anything to the experience. It feels unnecessary and awkwardly shoehorned in, seemingly just to boost the body count. It clashes with the more grounded tone the film had established and undercuts any seriousness the story was trying to maintain. When the slasher elements finally do return, it feels like too little, too late.
And then there is the twist.
Sometimes a twist is so much of a twist that it stops feeling clever and starts feeling dumb. This is one of those times. Everything after the reveal, including the reveal itself, makes less and less sense the longer it goes on. The film doubles down on illogical decisions, stacking confusion on top of confusion, until it limps to a strange and disappointing conclusion. It is convoluted, bloated, and not nearly as smart as it thinks it is.
That said, calling this a total failure feels unfair. The Haunted Forest excels at creating a potent fall horror vibe, anchored by solid performances and characters that feel lived in. The kills, while not especially gory, are effective in how they build tension and atmosphere. There is an intriguing premise here, and for a while, it delivers on it.
Ultimately, this is an initially engaging but increasingly frustrating horror mystery that fumbles its own momentum. It is a decent movie with a strong setup and a weak payoff. If you want to see how a film can lose itself halfway through, this is a fascinating case study. But if you are in the mood for a pedestrian slasher with good vibes, strong chemistry, and a killer setting, you could do a lot worse. Just maybe temper your expectations before heading into the forest.
Jessie Hobson