With Halloween having passed this Saturday just gone, there's no doubt that you'll have spent much of last week watching some of the classics of the horror film genre. However, if you were too busy watching the Halloween franchise or Texas Chain Saw Massacre for the umpteenth time, then this week make sure you watch the Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood thriller Into The Forest - because it leaves Netflix US at the end of the week.
Written and directed by Patricia Rozema, and based on the 1996 book written by Jean Hegland, the 2016-released film has become something of a cult favourite among horror aficionados, but has gone largely unknown to wider audiences, thanks to a limited theatre initial release before it eventually found its way onto Netflix.
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The recent history of horror is littered with films that claim to have refreshed the genre, but in Into The Forest there's a movie that can genuinely stake that claim.
The film has a respectable 76 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and has been described by critics as 'terrifying and uplifting' and 'a strong, smart and moving end of the world drama'.
Viewers on Twitter have said the film is 'f***ing beautiful' and 'a beautiful little gem, a film of hope'.
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In the movie, sisters Nell and Eva, played by Page and Wood - are left to fend for themselves in an isolated home after their father dies. To make matters worse, their house and the surrounding area has suffered a power cut and there are rumours that homes around them are getting abandoned as the outage continues.
Afraid to go back to their nearest town, the pair eventually become adept at becoming hunter gatherers, able to kill animals for food, forage in the forest and cut firewood to keep themselves warm.
The dangers the two sisters face are very real rather than supernatural: creepy old men, hungry wild animals, and a complete wetty of a love interest who only thinks of himself.
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The reason for the outage is never explained, with the film focusing instead on how the characters survive what's going on and how their relationship endures and evolves through challenging circumstances.
That this is all takes place against an apocalyptic backdrop that's an absolute hallmark of the genre, cementing the idea of Into the Forest being a genuinely refreshing take on conventional horror tropes.
US Netflix subscribers, you have until 6 November to watch this underrated gem. You'll scream if you miss it.
Featured Image Credit: Elevation Pictures/A24Topics: TV and Film, US Entertainment