SCHLITTER: EVIL IN THE WOODS (2023)

4 stars

Signature Entertainment. Digital Platforms. 26th August

Ever wondered what a schlitter is? Probably not, but you are about to find out from this excellent French horror – listed as a TV movie on IMDB – which played at FrightFest and is well worth seeking out. It’s short at just 70 minutes, however it delivers in spades.

Young eight year old Lucas lives with his mum and lumberjack dad in a house in a forest clearing. His father is strict, and often violent. Lucas is best buddies with Mathias and often play in the woods.

He is out in the car one day with his father, when he becomes distracted and runs int Matthias on his bike and kills him! Retrieving the mangled cycle from under the car his dad throws it in the ravine… and then hurls Mathias in there too. Lucas realises he must never talk about what he has seen, when his father gives him a look which tells him everything.

Now an adult, Lucas (Louis Meliava) is understandably still haunted by the incident. Following a house fire in which his parents have perished, he returns to the woodland of his childhood to bury his parents, with his girlfriend Julie (Léna Laprès) and friend Arnaud (Côme Levin) accompanying him. They encounter Mathias’s father (Gilles David), who is now wheelchair bound and accept an invite to his house. Credited only as le bûcheron (literally woodcutter), the trio are about to find out how skilful Mathias’s dad is with his tools of the trade. When their car won’t start they are forced to accept his hospitality and stay the night. This might prove to be something of a mistake! Initially friendly, things are about to take a turn for the bloody

Well shot by Nicolas Beauchamp, director Pierre Mouchet (who co-wrote the script with Nicolas Robin) has made a tight and efficient no holds barred horror. The film pulls no punches – with some good shocks along the way, including finding out what the schlitter is! The cast are good – especially Gilles David, and this a gripping and stylish thriller which marks out Mouchet as one to watch.

Steve Kirkham