825 Forest Road (15)

Director: Stephen Cognetti
Screenplay: Stephen Cognetti

Starring: Elizabeth Vermilyea, Kathryn Miller, Joe Bandelli
Running time: 101 minutes

Shudder

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Review: RJ Bland

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Found footage films: a sub-genre that often divides audiences. You either love them or you don't. Over the past 25 years, most genre enthusiasts have come to appreciate the few standout examples that have truly excelled. However, the genre has also been flooded with numerous imitations that have diluted its appeal. As a result, the mere mention of the format has become a turn-off for many, which is unfortunate, as there are still a handful of commendable found footage films being produced. Rob Savage's screenlife horror Host (2020) and Dutch Marich’s Horror in the High Desert (2021) are recent highlights, as is Curry Baker’s low-budget Milk & Serial from last year. While Stephen Cognetti's Hell House LLC (2015) may be a little older, it has garnered a dedicated following, growing into a mini-franchise with three sequels, and a fourth installment set for release later this year. News of Cognetti’s first non-found footage horror film has generated considerable interest. However, shifting away from the lo-fi format has proven challenging for directors who initially found success in this specific style of filmmaking. Found footage is more about creating atmosphere and mood than focusing on acting, script, or plot. With that in mind, we watched 825 Forest Road, Cognetti's latest feature, to see how successful his transition has been.

 

Following the death of his mother, Chuck - a music tutor in his thirties - and his wife Maria relocate to the seemingly idyllic town of Ashton Falls. Their move is motivated by a couple of practical reasons: proximity to Chuck’s workplace, and more significantly, the town’s closeness to the college where Chuck’s younger sister, Isabella, is studying. While Chuck is slowly coming to terms with the sudden loss, Isabella is struggling emotionally, prompting Chuck and Maria to invite her to live with them in hopes that the support might aid her grieving process.

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However, it isn’t long before the town’s serene facade begins to crack. The trio soon senses something unsettling beneath Ashton Falls’ quiet surface. The local suicide rate is disturbingly high, and many residents attribute it to the restless spirit of Helen Foster—a woman who took her own life in the 1940s.​ As Chuck delves into the town’s murky past, he uncovers whispers about Helen Foster’s former residence at 825 Forest Road - a house that might hold the key to the town’s dark history. The catch? The house doesn’t appear on any maps, making it nearly impossible to track down. And the closer Chuck gets to uncovering its secrets, the more sinister the consequences become for him and his family…

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Cognetti’s Hell House LLC series is, by and large, a decent franchise. The original in particular is a genuinely creepy film that effectively builds atmosphere and delivers when it counts. Unfortunately, 825 Forest Road doesn’t manage to hit the same marks. It feels muddled, overlong, and ultimately forgettable, which is a real shame.

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The plot isn’t especially original, echoing the ghostly vengeance stories that gained popularity during the early 2000s J-Horror wave. Still, that’s not inherently a flaw - familiar narratives can work if the scares land. But they rarely do here. Beyond a few fleeting ‘figure in the background’ moments - which quickly grow stale - there’s little genuine tension. A particularly eerie mannequin appears later on, but it fails to leave an impression, especially when compared to Cognetti’s previous, more effective use of similar props. A handful of jump scares are attempted, but they mostly fall flat, partly because the antagonist’s design is underwhelming and overexposed.

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The cast give it their best effort, but the script doesn’t offer much for them to work with. It feels underdeveloped and lacks clarity, while the dialogue is uneven and clunky. The decision to divide the film into chapters - each focused on one of the three central characters - does more harm than good and feels unmerited. It disrupts momentum, and although the retelling of shared events from different perspectives could be compelling, in this case, it rarely adds anything new. The effect is disjointed and repetitive, leaving the viewer feeling like they’re constantly being pulled back rather than pushed forward. As the film progresses, the town’s fog of apathy begins to seep into the viewer’s own experience.

Then there’s the final act which is both rushed and predictable in its destination. It all culminates in a climax that is as abrupt as it is unsatisfying (and confusing). Cognetti is set to return to his roots later this year with the final chapter of the Hell House LLC franchise, and one can only hope he rediscovers his form as 825 Forest Road is an uninspired and ultimately disappointing attempt at conventional horror storytelling.