Was drawn into seeing 'Feral', with a cool poster/cover, a promising trailer, an intriguing premise and as someone with a general appreciation for horror. That it was low-budget, which from frequent personal experience is rarely a good sign due to that there are so many poor ones out there, made me though apprehensive.

It is sadly however yet another film seen recently, hence some reiteration because the exact same strengths and flaws are here present in those films, that to me was incredibly disappointing considering its potential which it doesn't do anywhere near enough with. 'Feral' is weak, with so many huge flaws and doesn't do enough with its potential, which was hardly small. There is very little to recommend in 'Feral'.

Lets start with the positives.. The scenery is atmospheric and spooky, and is surprisingly well shot.

'Feral' also starts off promisingly, it does intrigue and it does have creepiness.

Going on to the negatives, the story does feel over-stretched and some of it comes over as vague and under-explained in the last third where the film especially became duller, more predictable, more senseless and less unsettled and never gaining momentum. Too many characters are too sketchy and with nowhere near enough to make one want to endear to them. Their annoying and illogical decision making and behaviours frustrates.

Making the film feel bland and forgettable with not enough heart put into it. The effects are ropy at best, the sound quality is obvious and utilised cheaply (being too loud in the build ups and people's reactions) and all of the acting is lacking severely, Scout Taylor Compton's performance will make one not stop cringing.

Dialogue can be stilted and rambling while the pace and film drags on forever after such an intriguing start and doesn't recover. Even the ending however is botched, due to being so afterthought-like and with no sense of how to end it. Found too many of the supposedly shocking moments not surprising or scary and the supposedly creepy atmosphere dreary, due to the excessive obviousness, a lot of dumb and vague moments and explanations and the lack of tension and suspense.

A lot of 'Feral' has underdeveloped plot elements and often nonsensical and confusing character motivations, while too many of the things to make you shocked are far from creative or unsettling.

There is not enough threat here and what there is of it tends to be used poorly, while the horror elements are unimaginative and are more odd than scary, completely failing to show any sense of horror. Some badly sagging momentum too and a lot of weirdness. The direction is leaden, got the sense their heart was not in it, and the music is ill-fitting.

Concluding, weak with no substance or entertainment value. 3/10 Bethany Cox

FERAL is yet another done-to-death teens-in-the-woods horror flick in which a bunch of vacuous youngsters head off into the forest for some fun only to find themselves exposed to a rabies-type virus. You know, you've seen this kind of thing play out endlessly in the likes of THE EVIL DEAD and CABIN FEVER, and there's nothing about this one to make it stand out from the masses. Things begin with the usual foray into torture porn and stays on the same level, emphasising bloodshed and noise over any kind of decent plotting and atmosphere. THE WALKING DEAD star Lew Temple plays in support, but he deserves better than this.

To be honest, this movie isn't even worth reviewing. So I'll be quick and to the point, because I don't want anyone to waste 90 minutes of their life on this movie. The only two likable characters in this movie get taken out of commission within the first 10 minutes. After that, you're left with the whiniest, most annoying group of people you'd never want to meet. They meet someone, played by Lew Temple, who deserves way better than to be in this, and he's nice enough to let them bring their injured friend to his cabin, stay there, and feed them. You would think they would be grateful, right? No.

Scout-Taylor Compton, who suffers from resting b!tch face, spends the entire time looking at him, as if he killed her mother. She shoots the guy, when he's trying to explain what's going to happen to their friend, chases him out of his own home, then beats him with his own gun when he comes back. Oh and her girlfriend stabs him in the back. He tells them that their friends (two at this point) are infected, and are going to turn into the creature that she has already seen one of her friends turn into, after it tried to kill them all. Her response? "NO! I am training to be a doctor! I am NOT killing her!"

Cut to 10 minutes later, when she's bashing friend #2's skull open like it's a pumpkin, to save her own butt. Then she sends her girlfriend out into the woods, knowing full well that there is another creature out there, while SHE keeps the gun. Sure enough, her girlfriend gets attacked and infected. Her girlfriend BEGS her to kill her, because she doesn't want to become a creature. Does she grant her girlfriend's final request? NO! She leaves the gun with her and makes her commit suicide...alone. Then it ends on the other infected friend who is handcuffed to a bed, growling. As if we forgot, or even cared that SHE was still there.

If you've read this and you STILL want to watch this movie, then you will watch anything. You probably have posters of The Bye Bye Man, Truth Or Dare, and The Emoji Movie framed on your wall. No insult. It takes all kinds to make a society.