In a world where horror films often recycle tired tropes, The Forest of the Lost Souls (or A Floresta das Almas Perdidas, for the purists out there) bursts forth like a vine of dark humor wrapping its cold fingers around your throat. It’s a “coming-of-age slasher movie,” if by “coming of age” you mean a soul-crushing descent into the darker side of humanity. But hey, at least the forest is nice.
José Pedro Lopes directs this 2017 Portuguese slasher in a way that will make you question your entire existence while simultaneously giving you the distinct pleasure of watching people slowly realize they’ve just made a really poor decision. Picture this: two strangers, Ricardo and Carolina, both arrive at the “Forest of Lost Souls” – a lovely spot near the Portugal-Spain border where people come to end it all. They meet, share their stories, and slowly begin to… explore their connection. And by explore, I mean plunge deeper into the sinister heart of the forest, where one of them is about to have an epiphany of a completely different kind: not death, but bloody, gory murder.
Plot: Two Dead Men Walking
The plot, as you might guess, is so simple that it practically slaps you across the face with its own lack of complexity. Ricardo and Carolina are total strangers, but not just your average “let’s go meet in a park and chat over coffee” strangers. Oh no, these two have come to this tragic forest for the same reason: they’re ready to die. Classic horror movie setup – bring two fragile souls to a remote, desolate place, and wait for the inevitable bloody disaster.
But wait! Before we dive headfirst into the “I’m about to die and I’m okay with it” atmosphere, the film lets the characters—Ricardo, the old man with a mysterious, ominous past, and Carolina, the young woman with a tortured heart—interact in a way that makes you feel like you’re watching a therapy session with a really weird twist. They talk about their pasts, their regrets, and then… they decide to not kill themselves yet. Sure, why not? It’s not every day you meet a stranger in the woods and think, “Hey, we’ve got an hour before we die together, let’s explore!”
And so they do. They venture further into the woods, like children playing hide and seek, except this version of hide and seek involves hiding from death while secretly playing tag with it. It’s only after the two start exploring that we realize this isn’t just a tragic meeting of kindred spirits. One of them has… let’s call it a side hobby of killing people.
There’s a nice little twist waiting for you as you trudge along through the gloom and the gorgeous misty trees. Without giving too much away (we wouldn’t want to rob you of the chance to be as surprised as Carolina when things start to go very, very sideways), let’s just say that at least one of these lost souls is far more sinister than they seem. Trust me, this isn’t your average “woe-is-me, let’s be sad together” kind of movie. There’s an unsettling darkness just underneath the surface that makes you wish you’d chosen a different film for your evening. Too late, sucker.
The Characters: Dead Inside, but Not for Long
The two main characters—Ricardo and Carolina—are exactly as they should be in this film: deeply flawed individuals with enough baggage to rival an international airline. Carolina, the young woman, is clearly grappling with something. What exactly? Who knows. Her backstory is as mysterious as the forest itself. She’s full of angst, sadness, and—surprise!—a convenient motive to wander into a creepy place to end it all. She’s a perfect candidate for an audience’s sympathy… until she isn’t.
Then there’s Ricardo, the old man who’s equally as tragic, but in a “I’ve seen too much in my life and am ready to give up on all of humanity” kind of way. As their conversations drag on, you start to sense a strange bond forming between them. They share a moment of mutual despair, which is sweet in the saddest, most messed-up way possible. You can almost hear the violins playing in the background as you wait for the horror to begin. And begin it does, just not in the way you’d expect.
The real gem here is the slow burn of the tension between these two. As they chat, you can almost see the gears turning in one of their heads. Is this just a tragic meeting of like-minded souls, or is one of them playing a more deadly game? By the time the reveal happens (it’s not a huge secret, really), you’ll find yourself chuckling nervously, because the only thing more awkward than a casual suicide pact is realizing one of you is already dead—emotionally and, you know, literally.
The Forest: A Setting So Pretty, It’s Almost a Crime
Let’s talk about the real star of the film: the forest itself. While the plot stumbles around like an undercooked piece of meat, the forest looms large, thick with atmospheric dread. Imagine the kind of forest that looks peaceful at first, but as you get deeper, it turns more ominous, more claustrophobic, like nature itself is slowly plotting to suffocate you. The forest has such a great “I’m about to get lost and eaten by the trees” vibe that it almost becomes a character itself. The landscape is lush and eerie, and the fog and mist work their magic to make you feel like something is always just around the corner, waiting to pounce.
In many ways, the film might be best enjoyed as a nature documentary—only instead of birds chirping, you get the sound of people dying and someone slowly losing their mind. Call it a “coming-of-age slasher,” but the forest gets a little too good at the “coming” part when you start wondering if there’s anyone left alive at all.
The Ending: Plot Twist and a Healthy Dose of Dead Humor
Of course, we’re not just here for the nature shots. We’re here for the good stuff—the bloody, twisted stuff. The Forest of Lost Souls delivers that in a way that’s both shocking and, strangely, a little bit hilarious. The ending, which I won’t spoil, is like the cherry on top of a very messed-up sundae. It’s one of those moments where you can’t help but let out a nervous laugh because, well, it’s just that kind of film.
The final act is surprisingly satisfying in the most gory and darkly humorous way possible. By the time the twist happens, you’ll find yourself nodding in agreement with the absurdity of it all. In this particular forest, it turns out, no one gets to escape unscathed—least of all your expectations.
Conclusion: A Forest That’s Worth Getting Lost In (In More Ways Than One)
In summary, The Forest of the Lost Souls is a slow-burning, atmospheric slasher film that drags you kicking and screaming into its twisted, beautiful depths. The film isn’t afraid to go for the odd mix of dark humor and unsettling tension, and while it’s not a groundbreaking masterpiece, it’s definitely worth the watch if you enjoy your horror served with a side of existential dread and a sprinkle of absurdity.
It’s a little rough around the edges, sure, but sometimes a film with a bizarre twist and a strange sense of humor is exactly what the doctor ordered. So if you’re tired of cookie-cutter slashers where everyone is just running and screaming, give The Forest of the Lost Souls a try. It’s got just the right mix of eerie, dark humor to keep you watching, even if you’re not sure whether you’re laughing or cringing. And honestly, isn’t that the best kind of horror film anyway?
