A good idea, with some SERIOUS flaws.

Rating: Null/10 (26 November 2006)

Heather Donahue Josh Leonard Mike Williams
The premise is that three filmmakers went into the woods to make a documentary and disappeared, only to have their equipment found a year later. The film is supposedly their own footage pieced together, a horrifying and true tale of supernatural evil.
This is both the genius and the undoing of the film. The idea is excellent, but the entire experience hinges on the audience being convinced that what they are seeing is real. Unfortunately, the film does a poor job of convincing us. The low budget and inexperience of the filmmakers shows through time and time again.
Often actors will forget or flub lines and have to repeat them (didn't they have a chance to edit this thing?) One particularly embarrassing instance happens during this exchange, about 3/4 of the way through the film:
Heather: What do we do now? Mike: I think we should go into that horse. (pause) Heather: Don't you mean "house," Mike? (Mike looks into the camera doubtfully, turns back to Heather) Mike: Yes. House. Heather:(looking directly into the camera) Can we do that one again?
Other flaws include the very unrealistic "forest" (which was actually a huge sound studio in Los Angeles dressed to look like a real woods). At one point Josh leans against a "tree" which is obviously made of styrofoam. The tree easily topples over, and all three cast members begin giggling uncontrollably.
Not only did this ruin the tension in the scene, but it contains a plot hole as well: the character of Josh was supposed to be dead by that point in the film.
It's probably worth a rental, but not much more. Look for cameos by Elizabeth Montgomery as the witch, and Bill Paxton as a small pile of rocks. I give it one star.