An unsettling, genuinely enjoyable film experience.

Rating: Null/10 (4 August 1999)

[Editor's note: this comment contains a minor SPOILER]
I thoroughly enjoyed this unsettling, eerie film so much that I hope to see it for a second time soon. The absence of Hollywood glitz and special effects (so prevalent in genre films these days) only added to the chilling atmosphere that increasingly pervades this film. It gave me what I like to call a "good scare" (as opposed to a bad, gross-out scare) and yes, I did think about it that night when turning out the lights and trying to go to sleep. The humour in the film, which some found distracting and "not scary", to me only made it more convincing. The juxtaposition of the "domestic scene" (Heather mending her pants while they are talking about mashed potatoes) with the disappearance of Josh shortly thereafter was super creepy - and all good horror movies (to me) always give us those moments that feel safe just before something hellish occurs. The build-up was maintained to the end - in fact the climax was really that final scene - something difficult for filmmakers to accomplish I feel. The great outdoor setting, with all the leaves on the ground (sometimes looking like skulls or bones, if you have an overactive imagination) made me glad I was not leaving for a long hiking trip the following day. There were lots of good touches in this film that made it work, too many for me to list, which is why I want to see it a second time. Speaking as a big fan of horror fiction and film, I think we have a great film here and a pleasant surprise for our summer movie-going pleasure.