Sometimes the best horror films are literally the worst. When you look back at horror of old, there are plenty of films that fit the bill – many of which have some of the strongest cult followings. While Grim Woods does not fit the bill as the best, it does find possible potential for the filmmakers behind it in the future. While taking in the film as a whole one may not see it, however it is the smallest of details that speak the loudest.
The introduction of the film is eerie and haunting, the imagery mixed with the unsettling and unnerving score. From here, the film opens to a young camper broadcasting to Camp Elmwood for the final time, her delivery and inclusion setting the framework for the film. However, once we leave the young radio enthusiast, Grim Woods takes a sharp nose dive. While it floats at just the service level with its storylines and ideas, the film is almost dragged to the bottom by everything else.
Almost immediately, the dialogue and delivery comes off as cheesy, delivered like a high school stage production or a 1980s PSA commercial. And it does not improve much from here. Though as the film brings us to the introduction of an anthology of horror shorts, I found myself once again intrigued and curious to see where the film and its stories would take us.
Babysitters, Clowns And Murder…Oh My!
Those who fear clowns beware, this is not the story for you…
There is an almost immediate frustration for viewers as the skillful panning of a home returns viewers to the off color, poor dialogue and poor acting that awaits within. As a young babysitter arrives to give the parents of the home a much needed night off, viewers will find they are continually distracted by the acting and audio, the sound of the dialogue almost as if it was added in post-production. This is further complicated by the echoing in some of the bedrooms as the babysitter begins to put the children to sleep.
What the creators behind Grim Woods have going for them, however, in this story is the clown itself, a terrifying childhood classic brought to life with nothing more than a thirst for blood. As the children are left to fight for their lives, there is an interesting twist in the end that left me piquing my interest and tipping my hat. While far from perfect, there was a spark of hope, of potential. In this moment, I had wished the filmmakers had taken the short film medium approach, honed in more on the elements of storytelling and filmmaking – because the story is there. This alone could have made for a solid short film.
Of all the stories that will be told throughout this film, this was Grim Wood’s first homage to the classics and clearly the filmmaker’s inspirations. While The Shining was easily called out with a clown-filled, “Here’s Johnny” moment, it was Halloween though that found the most recognition. From the sound that accompanied the characters on screen, to the camera shots going down the stairs and even a fear of “the boogie man” expressed from the young boy, Halloween has definitely had a deep impact on the filmmakers.
The Gypsy’s Curse
Out of the three stories told by the camp counselors, this was by far the best in its delivery – and the best story all around. As a young couple make their way through a traveling carnival, immediately the quality of the short showcases the skill the filmmakers have with lighting and inanimate objects. Where the lighting is dull and amateur when focused on individuals, the filmmakers continue to showcase the touches of potential that are scattered throughout this film when taking in the scenery and setting.
As the young couple begin to bring their night to a close, the young girl wants to dip into the aura of the future, bidding an oracle read her future. What ends as a horrific reading full of dark clouds and ominous predictions turns out to be only the beginning. As the young woman frets over the future she has been given, her body begins to give way to her cursed destiny, her hair falling out, as her skin becomes as diseased as the cloud that infects her life.
There is so much within this story that went right, especially compared to what came before and what was still yet to come. I found myself enamored with her story, my attention locked in to see what her fate was when truly revealed. While the story does find its ending puttering out in the final moments, it did not detract from the success and potential showmanship it created throughout.
Sirens’ Call
Legends are some of the most fascinating elements of storytelling – how did they begin? Where did they originate? Yet, those that promise ill fates to those who dare to challenge their truths are ones that are seemingly the most predictable, yet just as irresistible. Siren’s Call plays into this idea: three American backpackers traveling through Europe stopping at a small hotel for the night.
As boredom creeps in, they venture out to the local pub finding more than beer to fill their time as the innkeeper and bartender regale them with the with stories of the Lori-lie that plague the woods at night. Legend has it, they lure lonely hikers in the dark to their watery deaths. Looking for stories of their own to tell back home, the three backpackers venture out into the woods, challenging truths behind the legend.
While I love the twist in the end, I found many elements surrounding the story to be distracting, losing my interest and almost failing to relay vital information. While many of my complaints against the films acting and script remain, it’s here that the sound editing truly found its struggle. In the dining hall as the innkeeper regales his tale of creatures in the woods, the sound is almost inaudible at times, the volume of those speaking too low, or the score behind his words to loud – bagpipes and eerie notes drowning out his words. While this creates its own parallel to the story at hand, it fails the story altogether. While Siren’s Call will throw audiences immediately back to C-movie quality, this final short film was a quick paced and intriguing tale I would love to see explored further.
Grim Woods: Conclusion
Each of these stories were an intriguing idea, ones I wish had been done better. There are successes with each, yet the compilation leaves much to be desired. As the film finds its conclusion, the campers pausing for more firewood – and time alone – what seems to be a predictable ending for all involved twists into something more sinister, more demonic. Even though the ending of the film itself has a surprise, the poor acting and unnatural dialogue do rob it of its validity. Unfortunately, even with a bit of potential hidden in the woods, this grim tale is one to pass.
What are the worst horror films you have seen? We want to know!
Grim Woods is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
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