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825 Forest Road
Stephen Cognetti (director)
Shudder (studio)
18 (certificate)
101 (length)
04 April 2025 (released)
6 d
Chuck (Joe Falcone), his wife Maria (Elizabeth Vermilyea) and his sister Isabelle (Kathryn Miller) have moved to Ashland Falls, a small town in Pennsylvania, USA to start a new life following a family tragedy.
However the house they are looking to move into has its own history having been the site a suicide. And as the family soon learn there has been a spate of them over the years in the town.
The cause is put down to the spirit of Helen Foster, whose daughter suffered horrific bullying that eventually broke the family.
The population is close knit about the matter although knowing where the spirit comes from would almost certainly give them the chance to destroy it. Easier said than done. Boundary changes mean that Helen’s home, 825 Forest Road is lost and the location blocked by a court order.
However as creepy incidences start to increase – Maria’s mannequin ‘Martha’ moves about, noises and sightings – it becomes clear that they must find the road and deal with the spirit.
Written and directed by Stephen Cognetti, 825 Forest Road, is divided into four chapters. The first three covering the same ground but from the unique perspectives of Chuck, Isabelle and Maria. This works up to appoint ensuring character and background development that build the story and dread. There is however an element of repetition and the pacing at times drags the story.
The horror here is very much psychological – with a few jumps here and there - as Cognetti delves into mental illness, family stresses, grief and guilt. The pressures grow to such an extent that they look to move out knowing that the house has become unsellable, which as far as the development of the story is concerned entirely believable.
The performances from the three principles are excellent. Each has their own set of issues that drawn together make for a disturbing and fairly gripping story.
Where the film does falter is at the end with an unsatisfactory conclusion to the story, which is shame as there was a lot of work building up dread and atmosphere.
That aside this is a solid film from Cognetti who has built a considerable reputation with the Hell House LLC found footage series.
825 Forest Street will be available on Shudder on 4 April 2025.
However the house they are looking to move into has its own history having been the site a suicide. And as the family soon learn there has been a spate of them over the years in the town.
The cause is put down to the spirit of Helen Foster, whose daughter suffered horrific bullying that eventually broke the family.
The population is close knit about the matter although knowing where the spirit comes from would almost certainly give them the chance to destroy it. Easier said than done. Boundary changes mean that Helen’s home, 825 Forest Road is lost and the location blocked by a court order.
However as creepy incidences start to increase – Maria’s mannequin ‘Martha’ moves about, noises and sightings – it becomes clear that they must find the road and deal with the spirit.
Written and directed by Stephen Cognetti, 825 Forest Road, is divided into four chapters. The first three covering the same ground but from the unique perspectives of Chuck, Isabelle and Maria. This works up to appoint ensuring character and background development that build the story and dread. There is however an element of repetition and the pacing at times drags the story.
The horror here is very much psychological – with a few jumps here and there - as Cognetti delves into mental illness, family stresses, grief and guilt. The pressures grow to such an extent that they look to move out knowing that the house has become unsellable, which as far as the development of the story is concerned entirely believable.
The performances from the three principles are excellent. Each has their own set of issues that drawn together make for a disturbing and fairly gripping story.
Where the film does falter is at the end with an unsatisfactory conclusion to the story, which is shame as there was a lot of work building up dread and atmosphere.
That aside this is a solid film from Cognetti who has built a considerable reputation with the Hell House LLC found footage series.
825 Forest Street will be available on Shudder on 4 April 2025.
