Director – Jake Robinson (They Are Here, The Wendigo)
Starring – Jesse L. Green (Killer Campout, Z-ERO), Angel Nichole Bradford (Amityville Ripper, Hollywood Werewolf), and Dana Brooke Hamilton (Sleepless Beauty)
Release Date – 2025
Rating – 4/5
It’s not often that I come across a found footage flick that I actually enjoy. Many of you know how I dislike the found footage sub-genre. Most of these films are difficult for me to finish, which is why I always disclose this at the beginning of each found footage review that I do. With that being said, there are a few that I’ve found that are actually enjoyable. A few weeks back actor and producer Matt Burns sent me a few films he was attached to for review.
One film just happened to be a new found footage flick. The film, The Children of the Woods, was directed by Jake Robinson and stars one of my favorite indie scream queens, Angel Nichole Bradford. I want to thank Matt for sending this one over for review!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows an investigative journalist and her cameraman who visits a small town to investigate a long history of disappearances. While interviewing the local authorities they are shown a video recovered from a search for a group of missing campers who went deep into the woods to spread the ashes of their dead friend. What should have been a trip full of remembrance and mourning, turns deadly when cloaked attackers come out of the woods to kill and kidnap those that have ventured into their sacred forests. **Spoiler Alert**
I went into this one knowing nothing aside from the fact that it has one of the coolest posters I had seen in a long time. It made it known that it was found footage and the title, along with the upside down cross, made me think it was focused on a cult of sorts. While I don’t enjoy found footage flicks, I’m a huge fan of horror films centered around cults and The Children of the Woods did not disappoint.
The acting in this one is very uneven but I tend to dislike the way found footage flicks are acted. I seriously despise films where most of the movie is the cast sitting around recording themselves having small talk. It’s so awkward and tend to be overdramatic. With that being said, Angel Nichole Bradford does a solid job through most of the film even though we don’t really get to see her act in a traditional sense. I also enjoyed Kelsey Ann Baker’s performance as well. There were a few awkward moments during the dialogue heavy scenes at the beginning of the movie but they both leveled out during the last leg of the film.
The story for this one is reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project but it does have it’s own twist to it. In TBWP we follow a group of aspiring filmmakers exploring the legend of the Blair Witch along with the strange occurrences that has happened in the woods of a small town. In The Children of the Woods, we follow an investigative journalist who visits a small town who has a long history of people disappearing after going into the woods. They are shown a video by the authorities of a group of twenty-somethings who venture into the woods never to leave again. Pretty similar stories with the witch aspect being replaced by a cult. The film does have a slow build up that takes far too long to get going but once it does it holds the viewer’s attention very well. Honestly, the first 30 minutes or so could easily be trimmed to fix the film’s pacing which is one of the many reasons I’m not a fan of found footage.
Finally, the film doesn’t really have any blood or gore for the viewer to enjoy. The film is character driven with a simple and straightforward story, but gory effects are missing from this one. Overall, The Children of the Woods is a surprisingly enjoyable found footage film even if you don’t like the sub-genre. It’s hard for me to find a ff flick that I like, and this one did not disappoint. It has a great cast, and I really enjoyed the story. I would have loved to see some memorable deaths and solid effects, but the film is still fun as it is. I highly recommend it.
