Watch Rootwood

Rootwood is a horror/thriller film from 2018 directed by Marcel Walz and written by Mario von Czapiewski. The movie revolves around two podcast hosts who decide to explore the legend of the Blair Witch-style missing director while deep in the heart of a cult-like forest known as 'Rootwood'. The movie's plot centers around two up-and-coming podcast hosts named William (Tyler Gallant) and Jessica (Elissa Dowling), who set out on an exciting adventure into the forest of Rootwood located in California. They plan to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the famous B-movie director Jonathon Snipes to propel their podcast to greater heights.

During the expedition, the duo meets Erin (Sarah French), a thirty-something party girl, who joins them in their adventure. Erin tells them how Jonathon Snipes disappeared in the forest after shooting his last film, not leaving any traces behind, and the movie he worked on launched his career to new levels. The trio sets out to make their own documentary while investigating the forest for potential evidence leading to the truth.

William and Jessica decide to camp out in the forest overnight, hoping to capture footage of any strange occurrences happening in the forest, leading to the disappearance of Jonathon Snipes. While investigating, the hosts realize that the themes of the movie were eerily coming true. They recorded unexplainable sounds and eerie whispers on their equipment leading them to believe that there's something much more sinister happening in the forest than just a missing director.

As they continue to investigate further into the forest, they begin to uncover more and more truths about Jonathon Snipes and the movie he worked on. With each passing day, their lives become more entangled with the film, the forest, and a mysterious figure who follows them wherever they go.

One of the things that make Rootwood a successful horror movie is its atmosphere. The scene is set in the forest with so much claustrophobia and an eerie sense of mystery that only builds as the plot thickens. The abandoned filming sites and the ominous soundtrack create a chilling atmosphere that builds suspense throughout the film.

The film's casting is another standout success. Tyler Gallant and Elissa Dowling give excellent performances as the podcasters, creating a realistic response in their exploration of the root wood, adding a layer of relatability to the movie. Sarah French's character perfectly embodied her role as a party girl and a dark emotional character that finds herself more involved with the events unfolding in front of her. The supporting actors brought impeccable performances all around, from the cultists to the filmmakers.

Rootwood is a magnificent movie with a well-developed plot, good acting, and an excellent atmosphere. The film is a reminder of the cliche of never going to the forest to explore. It continuously keeps you on edge with terrifying and unnerving moments throughout the movie. Rootwood is a movie that will surely give the chills to horror fans who enjoy a good old-fashioned spine-tingling supernatural thrill ride.

Rootwood is a 2018 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 23 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 3.2.