A small, cozy wooden house sits hidden deep in the forest, the last refuge for a family trying to escape a mysterious, eerie presence stalking them. This evil is clever—it can take the form of people and mess with your head. And if it touches you, you’re done for. The family has rigged up a rope that leads to their basement, so they can safely get supplies from outside.

The catch? The mom keeps telling her two kids, Nolan and Samuel, that only adults can see this sinister force, so they have to stay inside.

If you’ve seen something like “The Village” or “Bird Box,” you’ll catch those kinds of vibes here. Alexandre Aja directed the movie with all its cool setup and surprise twists but got a bit tangled up in telling the story smoothly.

It’s one of those films that has more going on underneath than you’d think—lots about motherhood big time. Plus, it’ll get you thinking about nature versus society or even dealing with mental health stuff if you’re in a deep mood. It cranks up the seriousness with this creepy nursery rhyme about “blessed wood” that keeps playing—and there are some gross-out moments too (yep, eating a live frog really happens).

The movie throws you right into it from the start with a jump scare at the beginning—as if it’s nudging you awake for what’s coming next!
this movie feels a bit all over the place. It’s trying hard to mix dreamy, allegorical bits with some creepy, tense moments but doesn’t quite pull it off. It has some really freaky creatures and those unsettling body horror parts that definitely get to you.

They laid out all these survival rules in the beginning—but by the end, it’s like those rules don’t even matter anymore. Suddenly, things go off-script, making you wonder why some stuff didn’t happen earlier on. This messes with your ability to stay hooked on what’s going on. With twist after twist thrown at you by the director, nothing actually comes as a surprise because everything is just open-ended.

One big shocking twist happens at the end of the second act. It’s interesting because just when you’re kinda zoning out, bam! Something grabs your attention again. But then the last part doesn’t really live up to that surprise moment—it fizzles out rather than ending with a bang.

There’s this whole vibe of rituals throughout: it’s like Mom’s always banging on about her rules through rhymes and stories while they’re stuck in this eerie forest full of threats lurking around every corner. If you dig movies where dark fairy tales meet post-apocalyptic worlds—kind of like “Gretel & Hansel” and “The Witch”—this might be up your alley. But manage your expectations; it tries to be a lot of things—and doesn’t entirely succeed at any one thing fully!
The kids in the movie? They’re intense and pour everything into their performances, even if the script doesn’t quite measure up.

In the end, it’s okay if you’re just looking for something to watch. But unless you’re a hardcore horror fan who loves dissecting every movie detail, it might not be one you’ll remember for long.