My quick rating – 4.9/10. I spot the Bloody-Disgusting logo. Then comes a drive-in-style commercial for corn dogs, complete with static, popping, and a reminder to turn off your engine. Yep, they’re going for that grindhouse feel. I can respect the commitment. What would a horror movie be without a group of people getting drunk and telling horror stories around a campfire? Throw in a couple of boobs and some practical kills, and congratulations, we’re officially off into the Deathwoods.
Twenty years ago, the Wallace family lived deep in the woods surrounding the small town of Old Hickory, Tennessee. After a terrible murder/suicide destroyed the family, rumors began circulating around town, eventually evolving into ghost stories about a grotesque, mutated kid who supposedly haunts those very woods.
Fast-forward to present day, and Scott’s friends Kyle (Kellan Jackson) and Jessica (MacKenzie Lee) have the brilliant idea of taking him camping for the weekend. Their mission? Get Scott over his post-breakup depression by setting him up with Jessica’s friend Michelle (KateLynn E. Newberry).
Because nothing says “let’s help our emotionally fragile friend” quite like dragging him into the woods where a supposedly murderous mutant ghost child lives.
Naturally, their matchmaking plans quickly turn into a body-counting exercise when the legend decides to make an appearance. And because apparently five potential victims aren’t enough, they conveniently meet up with more friends along the way. Excellent. More people to kill means more practical blood-spewing goodness, and Deathwoods is certainly not shy about letting the red stuff fly.
The final-girl alarm went off fairly early for me. No surprise there. On another note, her time here is brief, but it’s always welcome to see Felissa Rose, who plays Ethel Wallace and ties into the family behind the campfire stories.
Writers Scott Conner and Jake Kopronica give us a pretty formulaic slasher script, but there’s enough entertainment value to keep things moving. As slasher movies love to do, they toss in a little whodunit twist, and once again, my guess was right. At this point, I’m beginning to wonder if I should be credited as a consultant. The formula is just that easy to spot when you’ve watched as many of these as I have.
There’s also a fun little ending that could very easily be interpreted as sequel bait. Because apparently the woods aren’t finished with us yet. Deathwoods is a nice 80s slasher homage, complete with some good, heavy music and plenty of practical effects. It’s not going to become a new horror classic, but if you’re a fan of the slasher subgenre, it’s worth a one-time trip into the woods.
And with Halloween: The Game just released September 8, 2026, maybe the slasher genre is starting to heat up again. If so, I suppose we’d better pack the beer, fire up the campfire, and start pretending none of us knows exactly who’s getting killed first.
