By David Dent
Student Zach (Grayson Gwaze), who is studying at an exclusive school (presumably via a scholarship as his family don’t have much money), gets the opportunity to work weekends as a spooky extra at a seasonal haunt attraction run by his cousin Mark (Cedric Gegel). As a black guy in a largely white company, he feels a bit like a fish out of water. His scary make up is applied by Sarah (Kaitlyn Lunardi), with whom he forms an immediate bond, unbeknownst to his school study buddy Carly (Meghan Reed) who has a crush on him. Carly is concerned that Zach’s newfound weekend interest is having an impact on his exam prep. Sarah remains concerned about preserving the memory of the local indigenous people – historically killed in the area by white settlers – but this is eclipsed by more current worries about a jealous and aggressive rival haunt owner.
But when a series of accidents at the haunt kills and injures the employees, the whole attraction comes under threat. Is the culprit the rival haunt owner or is the explanation more supernatural?
I am an absolute sucker for movies set at Halloween but director Keith Boynton, not known for working in the ‘fright flick’ genre, doesn’t really front and centre the holiday in this mix of drama, comedy and horror. It’s certainly not without atmosphere (he filmed it at a real attraction, Markoff’s Haunted Forest in Maryland); refreshingly, Boynton cares more about the characters as people than on a kill list. Gwaze and Lunardi make for a great couple – I was less convinced by Zach’s relationship with Carly – and for once the director’s choice to move freely between genres felt involving rather than annoying. Don’t expect a full on horror fest – it’s pretty light on gore – but The Haunted Forest is a well put together movie with, well something for everyone.
The Haunted Forest screened as part of Frightfest 2025.
Bloody Flicks 