This entire film is just set-ups for things which never really happen, and a handful of really lame, and completely predictable, jump scares.

Plot begins in flashback-land, as Sarah travels to Japan, in search of her missing sister, Jess, who disappeared in an area known for suicides, and is said to be haunted by the vengeful spirits of those who have died there. We are introduced, briefly, to her... husband? Boyfriend? It isn't made clear. Whoever the bloody hell he is, he really is only there for the seemingly contractually obligated twist ending. He is mostly unnecessary to the plot, and could be edited out of the film, and his absence would not be noticed.

After arriving in Japan, we're introduced to Rob, and the story can't decide if he is trustworthy, or a killer. An interesting twist two thirds into the film seems to portray him as being somehow responsible for her sister's death, but then it seems unsure of itself, whether he is a killer, or if it is the restless spirits in the forest trying to trick her. Little is done with that, and it's unfortunate, because that is the most interesting part of the film.

A weird (although not as creepy as the film wants her to be) schoolgirl is either following her in the forest, or is a few steps ahead of her, luring her farther off the beaten path, deeper into the forest, not because it has any relation to the plot, but just because it's a thing which happens.

A few unnecessary, and blatantly obvious, jump scares happen, again, not for any real reason, they happen just because.

Judging by its writing credits, the three writers ( "Nick Antosca and Sarah Cornwell and Ben Ketai" ) all worked on the screenplay separately, independent of each other, as their names are all separated by the word "and". If they had collaborated together, their names would have been linked by an ampersand ( & ),as per Writer's Guild regulations. That is an odd situation, I cannot think of any other title with the writers credited that way. Perhaps that is why the film feels so disjointed, and oddly structured, and doesn't do much with its surprisingly good cast, and competent cinematography?

And this is probably the 6000th film in the past five years to end with a character lunging at the screen in the final second, in the the most predictable, over used twist/ jump scare ending in cinematic history.

THE FOREST is another horror/thriller dealing with the sinister setting of the Aokigahara Forest in Japan. The said forest nestles at the foot of Mount Fuji and is notorious in Japan for being a place where suicides go to die. It has previously been the subject of two films, GRAVE HALLOWEEN and SEA OF TREES.

Sadly, in the hands of an inexperienced director, THE FOREST is very much a middling horror film. It's too tame and predictable to really scare all but the most novice of viewers. The plot is slow paced and the cast limited to just a few faces, so there's little going on. Some of the atmosphere isn't bad and the filmmakers do a good job of making the location seem authentic, although of course it wasn't really shot in the actual forest. Best of all is the reliable Natalie Dormer, who invests her lead with depth and charisma that might have been lacking in another actress.

Sara Price (Natalie Dormer) receives a call from the Japanese police about her twin sister Jess. She was seen walking into Aokigahara forest where most people go to commit suicide. Sara goes in search for her twin sister. She is befriended by writer Aiden and with Michi as guide, they go into the forest.

I do like the live shrimp sushi and found it weirdly funny Cronenberg-like. The maggots are a more common body horror. Otherwise, all the horror moments are laughably bland and unimaginative. The movie's greatest sin is that it's rather dull. None of it is scary. All too often, it's a dream. The pacing is slow. It's a lot of blah.