This entire film is just set-ups for things which never really happen, and a handful of really lame, and completely predictable, jump scares.
Plot begins in flashback-land, as Sarah travels to Japan, in search of her missing sister, Jess, who disappeared in an area known for suicides, and is said to be haunted by the vengeful spirits of those who have died there. We are introduced, briefly, to her... husband? Boyfriend? It isn't made clear. Whoever the bloody hell he is, he really is only there for the seemingly contractually obligated twist ending. He is mostly unnecessary to the plot, and could be edited out of the film, and his absence would not be noticed.
After arriving in Japan, we're introduced to Rob, and the story can't decide if he is trustworthy, or a killer. An interesting twist two thirds into the film seems to portray him as being somehow responsible for her sister's death, but then it seems unsure of itself, whether he is a killer, or if it is the restless spirits in the forest trying to trick her. Little is done with that, and it's unfortunate, because that is the most interesting part of the film.
A weird (although not as creepy as the film wants her to be) schoolgirl is either following her in the forest, or is a few steps ahead of her, luring her farther off the beaten path, deeper into the forest, not because it has any relation to the plot, but just because it's a thing which happens.
A few unnecessary, and blatantly obvious, jump scares happen, again, not for any real reason, they happen just because.
Judging by its writing credits, the three writers ( "Nick Antosca and Sarah Cornwell and Ben Ketai" ) all worked on the screenplay separately, independent of each other, as their names are all separated by the word "and". If they had collaborated together, their names would have been linked by an ampersand ( & ), as per Writer's Guild regulations. That is an odd situation, I cannot think of any other title with the writers credited that way. Perhaps that is why the film feels so disjointed, and oddly structured, and doesn't do much with its surprisingly good cast, and competent cinematography?
And this is probably the 6000th film in the past five years to end with a character lunging at the screen in the final second, in the the most predictable, over used twist/ jump scare ending in cinematic history.
Plot begins in flashback-land, as Sarah travels to Japan, in search of her missing sister, Jess, who disappeared in an area known for suicides, and is said to be haunted by the vengeful spirits of those who have died there. We are introduced, briefly, to her... husband? Boyfriend? It isn't made clear. Whoever the bloody hell he is, he really is only there for the seemingly contractually obligated twist ending. He is mostly unnecessary to the plot, and could be edited out of the film, and his absence would not be noticed.
After arriving in Japan, we're introduced to Rob, and the story can't decide if he is trustworthy, or a killer. An interesting twist two thirds into the film seems to portray him as being somehow responsible for her sister's death, but then it seems unsure of itself, whether he is a killer, or if it is the restless spirits in the forest trying to trick her. Little is done with that, and it's unfortunate, because that is the most interesting part of the film.
A weird (although not as creepy as the film wants her to be) schoolgirl is either following her in the forest, or is a few steps ahead of her, luring her farther off the beaten path, deeper into the forest, not because it has any relation to the plot, but just because it's a thing which happens.
A few unnecessary, and blatantly obvious, jump scares happen, again, not for any real reason, they happen just because.
Judging by its writing credits, the three writers ( "Nick Antosca and Sarah Cornwell and Ben Ketai" ) all worked on the screenplay separately, independent of each other, as their names are all separated by the word "and". If they had collaborated together, their names would have been linked by an ampersand ( & ), as per Writer's Guild regulations. That is an odd situation, I cannot think of any other title with the writers credited that way. Perhaps that is why the film feels so disjointed, and oddly structured, and doesn't do much with its surprisingly good cast, and competent cinematography?
And this is probably the 6000th film in the past five years to end with a character lunging at the screen in the final second, in the the most predictable, over used twist/ jump scare ending in cinematic history.