The Haunted Forest – FrightFest 2025 Movie Review
First Reaction – The Haunted Forest has a chilling reflection on the scare attractions appeal.
Director: Keith Boynton
Writer: Keith Boynton (Screenplay)
Cast
- Grayson Gwaze (Neighborhood Watch)
- Cedric Gegel
- Kaitlyn Lunardi
- Meghan Reed
- Jamie Bernadette (The Furnace)
Plot: A high school senior who lands his first job was a scare actor at Markoff’s Haunted Forest. He makes friends with the band of misfits who operate the Halloween attraction, but after one of them dies tragically on the grounds he begins to question his fascination with death and the macabre.
Runtime: 1 Hour 33 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: The Haunted Forest starts when Zach (Gwaze) lands his first job in as a scare actor in the Haunted Forest attraction. He loves the role and gets to have fun bringing fear out in the guests of the attraction.
However, when one of the employees dies on the job, they become unsure what to do next. Zach tries to move on, but the business skyrockets with the news of an actual death.
Verdict on The Haunted Forest
Recap
The movie follows a student who takes a job as a scare actor and a Halloween scare attractions. However, when an employee dies, the attraction blows up in popularity, but it begins to show something far more sinister occurring on the sight.
Best Parts
The movie reflects how scare attractions have a big boom and the scare tourists jump to experience death. It has been seen in other films before, and it shows just how easily people are drawn to wanting to be a chapter in the story. Elsewhere, things show how haunting moments blend with reality. We get strong performances throughout which show us the different mindsets of the characters.
Worst Parts
The movie does struggle to hit the highest scare factors it could. It struggles to break out of a slasher mystery and haunted attraction gone wrong. While it keeps things feeling a more grounded, it doesn’t quite bring enough to life.
Final Thoughts – The Haunted Forest has a twisted vision on the scare attractions.
