Cult screening - short review - BLACKWOOD by Adam Wimpenny

A college professor, recovering from a breakdown, moves to a house in the woods with his family where he is haunted by nightmarish visions. Blackwood is basically the traditional haunted ghost story and a roundup of a lot of the same elements that have been seen at one point or another in similar features. On that note, it should be worth mentioning that it’s a shame it was released on the same year as the very similar bigger budget horror film The Conjuring. Nevertheless, it would be wrong not to point out the exciting pace which is ultimately let down by a poor character development that contrast with the more intelligent plot developments which aim to humanise a story that is ultimately about ghosts. Blackwood simply lacks the good stuff, but we must keep in mind that it didn’t enjoy the luxuries of bigger budget horror productions and that is why at the very least we should praise Wimpenny’s temperance and determination in making a film that stands proudly beside similar specimen.