Murder in the Woods

By: Maggie Stankiewicz

Murder in the Woods is the tale of six college friends who retreat to a cabin for a weekend of debauchery, but experience a whole lot more than they bargained for when an ax murderer decides to join in on their fun. Written by actor/screenwriter Yelyna De Leon and directed by Luis Iga, this movie is both of their first solo-feature length production credits. And though it is not completely successful, it shows a lot of promise for their future careers behind the camera. Yelyna De Leon and Luis Iga have created a dark, unforgiving and twistedly funny feature that gives audiences just enough horror-juice to stick around. Murder in the Woods is a formulaic slasher with a twist that doesn’t quite land, but it cleverly employs the tropes of the genre in a way that keeps this movie a worthwhile watch.

Six friends with over-the-top and often conflicting personalities decide to take a weekend away at a remote cabin – one with a murderous past of its own. Of the entire gang only half of the characters are mostly likable, which makes the movie’s kills all the more fun. There is Chelsea (Chelsea Rendon) and her boyfriend Gabe (Joran Diambrini), quiet and thoughtful Fernanda (Jeannette Samano), the perpetually horny Jule (Kade Wise), vapid micro influencer Celeste (Catherine Toribio) and Jesse (José Julián). While they each have their moments, Jule is consistently entertaining while Jesse and Fernanda’s quiet, simmering chemistry is cute to watch…until it isn’t. The rest of the gang are serviceable characters, especially for the type of movie that they’re in – but nothing is endearing about them. They’re either horny or looking for attention and there’s no depth to grab onto when things get tough.

Murder in the Woods is its own version of Cabin in the Woods, presenting as atmospheric and meta, but it doesn’t hit every beat quite as effortlessly. What this movie perfectly nails; however, is the classic 80’s slasher horror vibe that so many genre fans thirst for. Every character fits an archetype and they die poetically at the hands of the shocking killer, but not without getting to interact with cult-favorite actor Danny Trejo who plays Sherriff Lorenzo, the film’s would-be hero and harbinger at the start of the movie. It’s a perfect role for Trejo, though he is far from the film’s leading man. That burden is given to the character of Jesse, who is convincingly played by José Julián in a breakout performance. The result feels like something straight out of Camp Crystal Lake – a culmination of homicide, family trauma and a thirst for sinner’s blood.

For all of its faults, and there are many, Murder in the Woods is still a fresh, fun take on the horror genre. The over-the-top performances and bad dialogue somehow only work to the movie’s benefit, transporting viewers to another time and place where the only things that matter are carnage, bloody axes and Danny Trejo screaming and perfectly over-acting his way through every scripted line. Not a highbrow film by any means, Murder in the Woods is a fun homage to everything that makes slashers so bad and so good all at once. If you’re stuck at home and looking for a quick 90-minute escape into a dark-funny, gratuitously gory ride, definitely put this one on. You won’t regret it.