WFG RATING: A

Janson Media presents a Twin Hearts Productions film. Directed by Hendrik Cronje and Mari Molefe van Heerden. Produced by Reine Swart, Mari Molefe van Heerden, and Hendrik Cronje. Written and edited by Reine Swart. Cinematography by Philip van Zyl.

Stars Ruan Wessels, Simone Neethling, Roderick Jaftha, Charlie Bouguenon, Solomon Cupido, Roy van Eck, and Mari Molefe van Heerden. 

A young man in a desolate world finds out he is not alone in this new adventure film from the team who brought you 2020’s The Hex.

Seven years ago, a global nuclear war decimated most of the planet. Heinrich is a wanderer who has been traversing the area for the past four years. An expert in horticulture thanks to his late grandmother, Heinrich is able to study plants and determines what ones can heal and what ones he can eat. He has always thought he was the last person on the planet. He soon learns he isn’t.

He meets a young woman in the forest, one who has lost her voice. Her name is Em and at first reluctant, she learns that he can be trusted. They soon bond but that bond is interrupted when they run into a group of people led by Samuel. The group includes Dan, Koos, and the mentally challenged Mark. When Samuel’s intentions are known, Heinrich finds himself in danger but Em reveals a secret that changes the course of everything. A secret that can either destroy or help the world as we know it. 

There have been lots of post-apocalyptic films that tend to delve mainly into horror, sci-fi, or sometimes drama. However, rarely do you see an romance-adventure with elements of horror involved. That’s where this film comes in. Written, co-produced, and edited by WorldFilmGeek Hall of Famer Reine Swart, the film is surprisingly well shot by cinematographer Philip van Zyl and with the direction by Hendrik Cronje and Mari Molefe van Heerden, this is a beautiful film that has elements that will please many.

The chemistry between the leads Ruan Wessels and Simone Neethling is the heart of the film. A lot of the film focuses on their meeting and eventual relationship. Heinrich serves as our narrator here and we learn of his inner thoughts as to how after four years of solitude, finally finds someone else. As for Em, Neethling sports a look that perfectly fits a character in a fantasy world. On top of that, her “secret” involves something similar to the X-Men member Rogue, but uses her hands on the earth to use as a means of protection, but not how one might think.

Samuel, played by Roderick Jaftha, is the leader of a band of survivors who may or may not possibly have a connection to Em and sees Heinrich as a threat. The group is quite an eccentric bunch with Jaftha the “leader”, Solomon Cupido’s Koos as “the follower”, Charlie Bouguenon’s Dan as the “outspoken” one and Roy van Eck’s Mark as the mentally challenged one who does what everyone says and seems to not be able to catch a break. 

The Forest is quite a surprise of a film with elements of a love story meshed in a post-apocalyptic world with some horror elements and sci-fi elements that all work together to a very unexpected finale. At 78 minutes long, it’s definitely worth checking out especially to see leads Ruan Wessels and Simone Neethling’s chemistry. 

The film is now available for rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video.