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The Forest

Play trailer 1:02 Poster for The Forest PG-13 2016 1h 33m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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10% Tomatometer 136 Reviews 22% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
When her twin sister disappears in Japan, a young American named Sara becomes determined to find out what happened to her. Sara's investigation leads her to the legendary Aokigahara Forest, located at the base of Mount Fuji. Accompanied by expatriate Aiden, she enters the mysterious wilderness after being warned to "stay on the path." Her investigation plunges her into a dark world where the angry and tormented souls of the dead prey on those who dare to explore the forest.
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The Forest

The Forest

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Critics Consensus

The Forest offers Natalie Dormer a few chances to showcase her range in a dual role, but they aren't enough to offset the fact that the movie's simply not all that scary.

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Critics Reviews

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Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com 08/16/2016
2/4
The film feels more like an expertly crafted missed opportunity, a suspense opus filled with some solidly intriguing ideas that for some reason it refuses to investigate. Go to Full Review Roxana Hadadi Chesapeake Family Magazine 08/02/2016
1.5/5
Disturbingly manipulative and yet totally conventional, The Forest is more memorable for being opportunistic than for being truly frightening. Go to Full Review Donald Clarke Irish Times 03/06/2016
2/5
We are packed onto a poorly designed ghost train and hurtled past a randomly arranged array of stuff that would fail to frighten even the frailest infant. Go to Full Review Jordy Sirkin Jordy Reviews It 02/22/2023
It’s not scary, slightly cheesy, and a little confusing (but not in a good way). While there’s an interesting twist at the end, you can’t help but feel completely robbed of time when this movie is over. Go to Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 04/23/2022
1.5/4
Instead of turning the forest into a place where Japanese people find some kind of sad and disturbing comfort on a mass scale, the filmmakers have chosen to turn the place into a haunted house. Go to Full Review Nick Levine NME (New Musical Express) 06/08/2021
2/5
Playing both sisters, Natalie Dormer gives a compelling dual performance but she's saddled by the script's simplistic dialogue, which is often as wooden as the forest itself. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Blobbo X @Blobbo Dec 7 Not so bad. Interesting way to spend time. Blobbo think ending not happy enough for some. Ok, some loose ends left, too. Still ok overall. See more Martin R @mrosendhal Oct 19 If you are a real horror movie connoisseur I think you will enjoy it - despite some flaws it also has some nice touches and it is underrated as a unique scare film. Natalie Dormer was excellent - I really felt she played the personalities of the twin sisters uniquely. And the taut cat and mouse tension between her and Taylor Kinney was built up well. The actor who played the Japanese Guide was also good. The film had several solid jump scares and I found the ending moving. It does at times seem like The Grudge has moved to the Forest; and Sara's refusal to listen to warnings can feel like the Geico commercial parody ( when you are in a horror movie you make bad decisions). But I watched it several times and found it worthwhile - in fact I picked up some subtle touches and followed the ending better on a second viewing. See more John W Sep 26 The characters behave in a way that is hard to understand, and the whole film is so extremely forgettable. It doesn't really bother you, but it also has nothing that stands out. See more Lloyd S @Lloyd93 May 31 The writers should go and hang themselves in that forest after this terrible and unwatchable movie See more Carnello H 01/12/2025 I think theres someone hanging right there See more Anniston P 08/07/2024 Horrible ending. All bad See more Read all reviews
The Forest

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Cast & Crew

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Jason Zada

Director

Natalie Dormer

Sara

Taylor Kinney

Aiden

Yukiyoshi Ozawa

Michi

Eoin Macken

Rob

Stephanie Vogt

Valerie

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The Forest

The Forest: B-Roll 1 The Forest: B-Roll 1 4:39 The Forest: Trailer 2 The Forest: Trailer 2 1:02 View more videos
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The Forest

The Forest (2016) The Forest (2016) The Forest (2016) The Forest (2016) Taylor Kinney as Aiden in "The Forest." Taylor Kinney as Aiden in "The Forest." (L to R) Yukiyoshi Ozawa as Michi, Taylor Kinney as Aiden and Natalie Dormer as Sara Price in "The Forest." View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When her twin sister disappears in Japan, a young American named Sara becomes determined to find out what happened to her. Sara's investigation leads her to the legendary Aokigahara Forest, located at the base of Mount Fuji. Accompanied by expatriate Aiden, she enters the mysterious wilderness after being warned to "stay on the path." Her investigation plunges her into a dark world where the angry and tormented souls of the dead prey on those who dare to explore the forest.
Director
Jason Zada
Producer
Tory Metzger, David S. Goyer, David Linde
Screenwriter
Ben Ketai, Sarah Cornwell, Nick Antosca
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Lava Bear Films, AI-Film, Phantom Four Films
Rating
PG-13 (Disturbing Thematic Content|Disturbing Images)
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 8, 2016, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 6, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$26.6M
Runtime
1h 33m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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