WFG RATING: C

A Popcorn Movie Productions/Fountain Productions/Hawk Studios film. Written and directed by Dennyann Giambrone. Produced by Dennyann Giambrone and Antoine Fountain. Cinematography by Joe McGee. Edited by Antoine Fountain. 

Stars Katrina Dibala, Dennyann GIambrone, Monique Marshall, Robert J. Fox, Lisa Campbell, Lerron R. Rose, Jo-Ann Peck, James Stougaard, Mike Galindo, Leslie Gunter, Yeena Fisher, and Tammy Lynn.

It’s going to be an unforgettable night in the film debut of filmmaker and actor Dennyann Giambrone. 

A group of people decide to go camping in a remote forest area and from the beginning, it looks like things are going quite well. However, as night falls, the group accidentally comes upon an Ouija board. While some tend to want to stay away from it, others tend to want to play and see what can happen. They soon learn they are not alone as this forest is filled with many creatures of the night.

They include a werewolf, an evil leprechaun, Bloody Mary, a succubus, a vampire, a deadly witch and the Devil himself. As the group finds themselves being picked off one by one, they soon learn they may have found some help. A group of people who are known as Spirit Hunters have arrived and intend to get rid of the bad spirits and must do what it takes to protect the remaining campers from the forces of evil.

Marking the film debut of indie filmmake Dennyann Giambrone, this low-budgeted monsters vs. survivors film may not be everyone’s cup of tea. And it’s understandable. However, Giambrone shies away from some of the classic tropes of the camping horror subgenre and using the budget she ended up using, offers us a pretty “so bad it’s good” adventure that has not one, but many antagonists in the form of various monsters.

The idea of using many monsters as opposed to one makes it more fun to enjoy in a way. One such villain is a shifty leprechaun who recites the same ol’ story. There’s also the devil himself, a water succubus, a vampire, a werewolf, Bloody Mary herself and others. At times, when the campers are together, there is so much going on that for some reason, it feels actually kind of real, even if we know we’re watching a movie. What’s really crazy is that in one scene where the hunters and campers are together, we can hear someone yelling “action” in the background. 

Some of the kill scenes look really funny, mostly that of the leprechaun when he stabs a camper and kills one of the Hunters. Some of the kills are also pretty graphic, including the Devil disemboweling a victim and the witch eating some body parts. 

Don’t Go Into the Woods at Night makes the most of what they had for its budget. However, you have to hand it to Dennyann Giambrone, who continues to make films and could be one to look for in the world of indie cinema. 

The film is available to watch on Sparkk TV.