Brightwood is an American sci-fi horror mystery film about a couple who find themselves trapped with a hooded killer while on a jog around a pond.
Written and directed by Dane Elcar, based on her short film The Pond (2018). The Noble Gas Media-Pond Pictures co-production stars Dana Berger and Max Woertendyke.
Plot:
Jen (Dana Berger) and Dan’s (Max Woertendyke) marriage is hanging by a thread. On a jog around a local pond in an attempt to hash things out, they find themselves running in circles as the exit trail vanishes and they repeatedly return to the same spot.
Being stuck together in an endless loop would be bad enough, but when a silent hooded killer appears and starts tracking them down, the couple must figure out how to survive, together or apart…
Reviews:
“Shot in a pitched perfect no-nonsense, non-stylistic manner, and using the forest location to wonderful effect […] However, this is a movie wherein post-production played a large part in shaping the film. Most noticeably on a second viewing the editing (Eclar and Torrance Red) and effective sound (Lester Pernala and Joey Zampella) combined with music (Jason Cook) that intensifies the dread and a horrifying realisation for characters and viewer alike.” The Bloody Asylum
“Brightwood rocks from beginning to end. The screenplay twists and turns and bends like all the best thrillers do. The direction maintains the mystery all the way through the surprising finale. The two actors are great and play off each other nicely. Elcar’s first feature-length film is one of the year’s best.” 10 out of 10, Film Threat
“There’s nothing especially wrong, per se, with either the writing or the performances, but a film with more resources has more options; you can support the actors and dialogue with other elements […] Here, we’re essentially locked in with no change of scene, just like the characters; and there are moments where that becomes an endurance test in the wrong way. Nevertheless, this is intelligent, scrappy film-making…” ★★★ The Guardian
” …there is some bickering, but it’s sported by a far darker affair than I initially anticipated. There are also a few moments in the film where I kept wishing something more would happen as well, but for the most part, Brightwood is a well-made picture about fading love and what we endure to allow its longevity to continue.” Horror Obsessive
“Brightwood certainly has a slow burn that can feel repetitive (heh) at times, which is really the only major gripe against the film. All in all, though, it’s a relatively tightly told story with just a few slight pacing issues. The sound is fantastic, and the cinematography does an excellent job of selling the isolation in an otherwise beautiful location. It’s well-told and way better than it feels like it should be.” Horror Revolution
“Despite their initial bickering both Jen and Dan make for engaging leads. We are drawn into their plight and are as shocked and surprised as they are by the gradual realisation as to what is going on. With reveal after reveal building to a dark and disturbing climax, there’s no point at which Brightwood runs out of juice. It’s a low-budget triumph!” 9 out of 10, My Bloody Reviews
“As these woods become a solipsistic universe for two(s), inescapable and barely accommodating, the couple must find a way to live with each other, maybe even to become the best version of themselves, even if that means endless expressions of violent self-loathing and self-destruction […] a couple’s failing, rut-stuck relationship is presented as several circles of hell in a low-key science-fiction scenario – and it jogs on to an ending that is all at once unexpectedly happy and horrifically bleak.” Projected Figures
“Sure there are some rather convincing flashes of blood and guts towards the end, but they hardly make the movie. The point here is, the writing is strong and based on a solid structure, the characters are well fleshed out and relatable in all their fallibility, the acting’s strong with the actors having a definite chemistry, and the direction and camerawork get the most out of the location.” Search My Trash
” …there’s just about enough here for a feature-length film and, despite a few minor issues, Brightwood does successfully hold up a carnival mirror to the horrors of relationship breakdown, with all of its deja-vu and inescapable dread reflecting back at us. You can interpret the ending as you see fit, but it seems like a deeply grim conclusion to me.” Warped Perspective
Release:
Brightwood had its world premiere at the Cine-Excess Festival in the UK on October 23, 2022, with subsequent showings at Other Worlds Film Festival, Another Hole in the Head Festival and HorrorHound Film Festival.
In the US, the movie was released on DVD and VOD by Cinephobia Releasing on August 22, 2023.
Brightwood will be released in the UK on digital platforms such as Amazon Prime on March 21, 2024.
Buy on DVD from Amazon.com
Trailer:
Production date:
2022
Filming locations:
Rockaway, New Jersey
Technical specs:
1 hour 24 minutes
Aspect ratio: 2.35: 1
Notes:
Ignore the ‘featured’ review on IMDb written by a typically moronic IMDb contributor who seemed to have not even watched the film before submitting a self-obsessed rant.
