The Arborist – FrightFest 2025 Movie Review
First Reaction – The Arborist is filled with creepy imaginary and a disturbing story.
Director: Andrew Mudge
Writer: Andrew Mudge (Screenplay)
Cast
- Lucy Walters (Power)
- Chloe Trejo
- Will Lyman (The Other Guys)
- Hudson West (Klaus)
- Bill Thorpe (Mystic River)
Plot: A grief-stricken arborist and her son awaken a haunting when they begin felling trees at the estate of a mysterious recluse.
Runtime: 1 Hour 40 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Arborist starts when grief-stricken Ellie (Walters) takes her son Wyatt (West) on her latest job. She has been hired by Arthur Randolph (Lyman) to help get rid of the trees in his local woodland. When Wyatt begins suffering nightmares, he becomes convinced there is a danger in the woods.
Ellie doesn’t want to believe him, but soon she learns the disturbing truth. It becomes a race to save her son, and her family before her grief takes over. Meanwhile, the owner has their own way to battle the threats he faces.
Verdict on The Arborist
Recap
The movie follows a grief-stricken mother trying to start a fresh with her son on her latest job. However, the nightmares behind the tragedy continue to haunt them and the pair must understand why they have been recruited.
Best Parts
The representation of grief is excellent throughout, showing how the pair have struggled with the loss. It has some scary moments with the designs of the creatures haunting and an interesting mystery around it. We get great performances, which are more restrained for the characters dealing with the troublesome events.
Worst Parts
There are elements of the story which don’t sync up as well as others. There is a lot going on within the story and by the end it can feel like some of it wasn’t needed.
Final Thoughts – The Arborist has creepy design and shows the devastating effects of grief.
