Starring: Joel Fry, Hayley Squires, Ellora Torchia, Reece Shearsmith

Directed by Ben Wheatley

In cinemas now

As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, a scientist and park scout venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment run.

If you go down in the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise, and because it’s a Ben Wheatley movie, this won’t be a teddy bear’s picnic. This trippy eco thriller throws in body horror and no small amount of folk horror, and while it may be a little too ‘out there’ for some, it’s a vast improvement on Wheatley’s Rebecca, which lacked his dark humour and directorial touches.

Made during the real-world COVID pandemic, this low budget offering begins with Martin Lowery (Joel Fry, Cruella) stopping at a way house en route to scientist Olivia Wendle (Hayley Squires, In Fabric) who has gone dark, deep in the woods. He’s joined by scout Alma (Ellora Torchia, Midsommar) who takes him on the two-day trip into the wilderness, but on their second day they are attacked and lose their shoes and radio. Luckily, they find salvation in Zach (Reece Shearsmith, The League of Gentlemen), who takes them back to his tent… and that’s all I’m saying.

Right from the beginning there’s a sense of unease and dread, which only increases as bad things start to happen. Poor Martin suffers a series of increasing misfortunes, and the black comedy about this helps temper the tension. If you’re squeamish, you’ll need to look away from the screen on multiple occasions, the audience I sat with were very vocal with their squeals of discomfort, and on a more serious note there’s a trigger warning at the beginning, warning cinema goers that some of the lighting could trigger an epileptic event.

Wheatley regular Reece Shearsmith is great as Zach, and like Hayley Squires’ Wendle, you know that you’ll find out a lot more about the character before the end. There’s an ominous, brooding score by Clint Mansell, some effective (and loud!) sound design, and for what must have been a relatively low budget, the scope ratio gives the movie some big screen grandeur. Definitely in my favourite Wheatleys, alongside Sight Seers and Free Fire. It’s not as nasty as Kill List (few films are) and is more accessible than A Field in England.

Verdict: If you can handle the gore, this is a horror movie that ticks a lot of boxes. With a game cast and some unexpected twists, one moment you’ll be laughing, the next you’ll be wincing. 9/10

Nick Joy