THE FOREST has been breaking ground on the international film circuit, following its Amazon Prime US and UK release. As such, we couldn’t resist writing up a review of it, as well.
Starting from the opening scenes, our protagonist, Heinrich (played by Ruan Wessels), sets the tone as we discover a world that has experienced ruin but in turn, found a path to healing as the larger human population has disappeared without a trace. He gives a solid foundation to the film, acting as a source of reflection not only into the story world but aligning with the reality of the world we live in today.

Em (Simone Neethling) joins in on the whimsy not too long after, galavanting through the forest like a wild fairy. In fact, her light-as-air movements, innocent curiosity, and the glow in her beautiful eyes that very obviously enrapture Heinrich–despite his disbelief– add a fairytale-esque flutter of the heart to the film, which immediately captivates you. Despite not saying a single line, her performance is powerful, in more ways than one (pun intended - but you’ll have to watch the film to figure that out).

However, that playful ease doesn’t last long before things take an eerie turn and we meet Samuel (played by Roderick Jaftha), Koos (Solomon Cupido), and Dan (Charlie Bouguenon). These characters have pretty good chemistry if you’re trying to give them a redeeming quality as villain characters.
Despite having little room for redemption as characters, in terms of intent, we come to understand their backstories and circumstances which have forced them to take survival mode to such an extreme; and by the end of the film–although we don’t forgive them– we get a huge awakening from one of them.
Stellar acting aside, the editing and color grading in THE FOREST are wonderfully done, and the overall soundtrack and sound design fully immerse us in the magic of this world. The song ‘Light Storm’ by Taxi Letter Riders especially sticks in your memory as it makes one of the film’s best moments shine that much more heartwarmingly brightly. Additionally, ‘Soen My Sag’ by Liesl Ahlers does the same for its iconic scene. We’ll let you watch the film and discover these perfect scenes yourself, for the sake of not ruining the surprise.
THE FOREST also boasts a truly beautifully written script, it has a lot of pretty metaphors, scriptures, and motifs hidden (or in plain sight) in the context, adding even more to the wonder and depth that surrounds our two protagonists.
This film is equal parts enchanting and light but heavy at the same time. Between the romance aspect, war elements, and supernatural aspects, intrigue is one thing that this film doesn’t lack–and the moments of heartbreak in between make it all the more meaningful. With an impactful final message about preserving nature that ties all of the film motifs together, THE FOREST is an all-encompassing watch for viewers, true to the film’s title.
Make sure to watch the trailer in anticipation of the film.
What did you think of THE FOREST? Let us know in the comments!