Frightfest: Schlitter: Evil in the Woods (2024)

Director: Pierre Mouchet

Running Time: 73 Minutes

Certification: 15

Starring: Louka Meliava, Léna Laprés, Gilles David, Côme Levin

Making his feature debut, director Pierre Mouchet opens Schlitter: Evil in the Woods with the sight of a young boy working on his families land. After an accident involving heavy equipment, Lucas' father responds in a physically and verbally abusive manner, resulting in the boy running away. He momentarily escapes with his childhood friend, the bike-riding Mathias, as the pair enjoy playing within a newly discovered war bunker. This moment of respite is welcome within a painful childhood, but it does not last when an incident involving Lucas' dad demanding cigarettes results in a tragic car accident, the effects of which traumatizes the boy and solidifies that he is trapped with a monstrous father.

Twenty-years-later, an adult Lucas (Louka Meliava) returns to his home village to bury his parents. Still carrying the trauma of his childhood, Lucas is supported by his girlfriend, Julie (Léna Laprés), and best friend, Arnaud (Côme Levin), while wishing to leave the property that invokes horrific memories. They cross paths with Francis (Gilles David), Mathias' wheelchair-bound father who was the neighbour to Lucas' parents. The trio feel obligated to share in Francis' trip down memory lane, although matters worsen when Lucas' car won't start, leaving the trio stranded in this isolated location.

Adapting a script he co-wrote with Nicolas Robin, Mouchet brings alive a story about the lengths taken to avenge an injustice. Past sins come back to hurt Lucas and his companions, regardless of how responsible they actually are. This idea of an all-consuming quest for vengeance that affects anybody in the crosshairs is a fascinating one, yet the promise is diminished by uninteresting ideas on morality that are very black and white. There are few shades of grey for characters to inhabit, instead residing in one extreme or another. This results in the antagonistic figures feeling over-the-top with their cruelty, or the angelic Julie being a plot device whose purpose is to be the victim and girlfriend.

The film's high-point is a trap that feels inspired by the Saw franchise, complete with its grisly promise being realized so memorably. A shame that this was not the culmination of the story, as what follows feels like wheels spinning in uninspired ways until the credits roll. As a result, Schlitter: Evil in the Woods feels like a decent short film idea that is padded out with extra characters and unnecessary diversions, resulting in a story that does not hang together.

Schlitter: Evil in the Woods made its UK Premiere at Frightfest 2024, and is available on Digital Platforms now courtesy of Signature Entertainment.