The Forest of the Lost Souls, a 2017 Portuguese film, directed and written by José Pedro Lopes, is a psychological thriller/horror movie with a unique concept. The film is shot entirely in black and white, which gives it an eerie and intense atmosphere. The film takes place in a forest in Portugal and centers around two characters, Ricardo (Jorge Mota) and Carolina (Daniela Love).
Ricardo, an aging man living on the edge of the forest, spends his days wandering the woods and contemplating suicide. Carolina, a teenage girl who is heading to the same forest, plans to end her life as well. Both strangers meet in the forest and decide to team up for a private conversation, surrounded by the forest's beauty.
But the forest is not as serene as it seems, and as the movie progresses, it turns into a terror-filled place that keeps them trapped in it for more extended hours than they ever planned.
The Forest of the Lost Souls deploys numerous filmmakers' techniques to create an uncomfortable environment. Primarily, the black and white cinematography gives the film a stark and ominous tone. It also allows the director to use shadows and light to create suspenseful and terrifying scenes as the characters navigate through the forest.
Moreover, the forest, although beautiful and serene, is equally claustrophobic, with trees and branches obscuring the sky. The characters get lost in the forest, and so does the audience. It's also a character itself, a place where people come to commit suicide.
The characters in this movie are an essential aspect of its success; as the film's title suggests, this story revolves around loss. The two main characters of Ricardo and Carolina provide sound character studies. Their reasons for contemplating suicide are different, but both are starkly emotional and affecting.
The film moves us to wonder why people commit suicides, and about what all do they must be going through. At its core, Forest Of The Lost Souls explores the relationships between the young and the old and how they interact, how our society views mental health and suicide, as well as the impact on those left behind by such choices.
The director's interpretation of these heavy, serious topics is dark and slightly twisting, with moments of surprise and terror that keep the audience guessing till the end. It's beautifully shot, with distinctive visuals and moments of quiet that keep the viewer on edgeâthe slow progression of the story accumulated with increasing tension that will knock you off your feet.
In addition, the backing soundtrack in the Forest of the Lost Souls significantly contributes to the immersion. The music is haunting and adds a sense of dread to the visuals. Sound effects are also an essential part of the film; the sounds of the forest, the foreboding twigs' snaps and rustle add layering to the content.
Overall, the Forest of the Lost Souls is a visually striking and emotion-filled movie that is both thought-provoking and terrifying. Beautifully filmed, stunningly acted, and exceptionally suspenseful. The black and white cinematography and haunting score make it an increasingly eerie and terrifying experience. The Forest of the Lost Souls is undoubtedly a must-watch for horror movie aficionados.
The Forest of the Lost Souls is a 2017 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 11 minutes.
It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.3 and a MetaScore of 63.
