{"id":9685,"date":"2026-01-15T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/?p=9685"},"modified":"2026-01-15T12:33:54","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T18:33:54","slug":"haunted-attraction-as-character-study-the-people-behind-the-masks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/haunted-attraction-as-character-study-the-people-behind-the-masks\/","title":{"rendered":"Haunted Attraction As Character Study: the People Behind the Masks"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>5 Minute, 20 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>

MOVIE REVIEW
\nThe Haunted Forest<\/strong>
\n\u00a0–\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Genre: <\/strong>Horror, Drama
\nYear Released:<\/strong> 2025
\nRuntime:<\/strong> 1h 33 minutes
\nDirector(s): <\/strong>Keith Boynton
\nWriter(s): <\/strong>Keith Boynton, Devin McEwan
\nCast: <\/strong>Grayson Gwaze, Cedric Gegel, Kaitlyn Lunardi, Meghan Reed, Jamie Bernadette, Keith Boynton, Myles Hamilton, Dave Harding, Mashka Wolfe, EJ Roeder, Victor Zheng
\nWhere to Watch:<\/strong> available on Digital and VOD February 13, 2026, world premiere at the 2025 FrightFest Film Festival in London<\/p>\n

\n

RAVING REVIEW:\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong>Every year, haunted attractions across America open their gates to thrill seekers eager to be chased by chainsaws and scared by masked actors. For many, they are temporary playgrounds of fear. For Keith Boynton, Markoff\u2019s Haunted Forest in Maryland was inspiration enough to build an entire feature film around \u2014 one that not only delivers the screams of a slasher but also captures the humanity of the people who bring such places to life. THE HAUNTED FOREST is at once a love letter to Halloween culture, a horror drama, and a character study. In trying to juggle all three, it sometimes frays at the edges, but its ambition is what makes it stand out in a crowded festival lineup.<\/p>\n

\n

The story centers on Zach (Grayson Gwaze), a horror-obsessed high school senior who lands a dream job working at his cousin\u2019s renowned Haunted Forest attraction. For Zach, this isn\u2019t just seasonal work \u2014 it\u2019s a chance to live inside the genre he adores, to step into the world of monsters, makeup, and midnight screams. He finds camaraderie among the staff, from Sarah (Kaitlyn Lunardi), a makeup artist who captivates him, to Jacko (played by Boynton himself), a veteran scare actor who becomes a mentor. But when something unexpected happens, the boundaries between performance and reality collapse, forcing Zach to confront both real danger and his fascination with death.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s most striking about THE HAUNTED FOREST is its structure. Rather than sticking to a single lane, the film shifts between modes: a grounded coming-of-age story about a teenager finding a sense of belonging, a grisly slasher where bodies pile up, and a sly comedy that examines the haunt culture itself. These pivots could have derailed the project, but in Boynton\u2019s hands, they create something unusual \u2014 a horror film where the people matter as much as the kills.<\/p>\n

Gwaze anchors the film with a performance that balances wide-eyed enthusiasm with real vulnerability. Zach isn\u2019t just a horror nerd caricature but a kid using fantasy to escape loneliness and uncertainty. Lunardi makes Sarah more than a stock \u201clove interest\u201d role, playing her with warmth that grounds Zach\u2019s infatuation. Boynton himself, as Jacko, radiates world-weary charisma \u2014 a character who embodies his affection for the haunt world. When the story shifts into darker territory, a loss resonates not just as a plot twist but as an emotional rupture.<\/p>\n

The slasher elements arrive later, but when it does, they\u2019re effective. Kill sequences are staged with both tension and playfulness, acknowledging genre clich\u00e9s while leaning into their cathartic thrills. There\u2019s a clear reverence for classic slashers \u2014 the masked figures in the forest, the chase sequences through fog-drenched paths \u2014 but also a willingness to question why audiences crave these spectacles. As Boynton notes in his director\u2019s statement, the film interrogates our fascination with violence and death even as it indulges in it, making the gore both entertaining and slightly self-reflexive.<\/p>\n

Humor plays a smaller but crucial role. Whether it\u2019s the chaotic backstage antics of the haunt employees or the absurdity of balancing minimum-wage labor with murder lurking nearby, the comedic touches keep the film from sinking into bleakness. It\u2019s not laugh-out-loud comedy, but the wit gives the film an offbeat core that makes its juggling act work more often than not.<\/p>\n

Of course, the film\u2019s ambition is also its potential drawback. Some viewers may find the balance uneven, with the slasher elements arriving later than expected. At times, it feels like three different films spliced together, which may frustrate those seeking a straightforward horror experience. Yet it\u2019s this very quality \u2014 the refusal to settle into one genre \u2014 that makes THE HAUNTED FOREST memorable.<\/p>\n

Boynton\u2019s film stands out for its willingness to risk whiplash. It\u2019s both deeply affectionate toward the genre and willing to poke at its contradictions. If it occasionally stumbles, it also stays with you, because it feels like it has something to say about why we\u2019re drawn to darkness in the first place.<\/p>\n

THE HAUNTED FOREST is more than the sum of its scares. It\u2019s a hybrid \u2014 part \u201cworkplace\u201d comedy, part slasher carnage, part drama \u2014 and while it doesn\u2019t always fuse flawlessly, its ambition and sincerity elevate it above standard genre flick. Like the haunted attraction it\u2019s based on, it\u2019s a messy, scary, funny, and heartwarming experience. And for horror fans, that\u2019s a mix worth walking through.<\/p>\n

As a side, I\u2019d like to mention a documentary that was particularly powerful for me. 2018\u2019s FAMILY OF FEAR takes a look behind the scenes of a haunt, and more importantly, the people who make the haunt human! Check out my review here for a deeper dive: https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/theres-more-than-meets-the-eye-on-this-documentary-about-a-southern-haunt\/<\/p>\n

Please visit https:\/\/linktr.ee\/overlyhonestr for more reviews.<\/p>\n

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. My social media accounts can also be found on most platforms by searching for ‘Overly Honest Reviews’.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m always happy to hear from my readers; please don’t hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.<\/p>\n

[photo courtesy of SANE LAKE PICTURES, BRIDGE INDEPENDENT]<\/em><\/p>\n

DISCLAIMER:<\/strong>
\nAt Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive complimentary items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl Records, Books, and more. We assure you that these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to providing unbiased and sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.<\/p>\n

Amazon Affiliate Links:<\/strong>
\nAdditionally, this site contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission. This affiliate arrangement does not affect our commitment to honest reviews and helps support our site. We appreciate your trust and support in navigating these links.<\/p>\n

\n
\n \n
\n \n \"Happy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Happy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sad\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sad <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Excited\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Excited <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sleepy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sleepy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Angry\"\n <\/a>\n
Angry<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Surprise\"\n <\/a>\n
Surprise<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MOVIE REVIEW The Haunted Forest \u00a0–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Genre: Horror, Drama Year Released: 2025 Runtime: 1h 33 minutes Director(s): Keith Boynton Writer(s): Keith Boynton, Devin McEwan Cast: Grayson Gwaze, Cedric Gegel, Kaitlyn Lunardi, Meghan Reed, Jamie Bernadette, Keith Boynton, Myles Hamilton, Dave Harding, Mashka Wolfe, EJ Roeder, Victor Zheng Where to Watch: available on Digital and VOD […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9686,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital","category-film-festival"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9685"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10798,"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9685\/revisions\/10798"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mailnewsgroup.com\/ohmr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}