Horror Movie Review: Within the Pines (2024)

Written and directed by Paul Evans Thomas, Within the Pines is all about sound. Not just what you hear, but what you don’t as well. Sometimes silence is more oppressive than anything else.

It stars Brendan Cooney as Sam Evans, a sound recordist who heads deep into an isolated forest to capture the natural sounds of nature. From the start, we see that he is comfortable in this environment, but we also see that he might be trying to hide away from something personal.

It’s while Sam is deep in the forest searching for the perfect audio that things take a very dark turn as he picks up a sound that nobody would ever expect to or hope to hear in such an isolated place. His senses tell him he shouldn’t investigate, but his moral compass inevitably points that way.

His microphone is more than just a tool to find cool nature sounds now, it’s a tool to investigate and a tool to warn of impending danger. Every crack of a twig, every rustle of a bush, every little noise can be picked up. Was it just an animal going about its business? Or was it something more sinister and dangerous? The forest, an initially tranquil place quickly transforms into something far more oppressive.

It is an incredibly atmospheric film, where sound is key (and the sound design delivers) but the film’s narrative isn’t fully reliant on it. While actual dialogue is extremely limited, a simple story and strong, expressive actors, tell it very well. There are few modern examples of how immersive a horror film can be.

The film is extremely compelling, putting us alongside Sam in a ‘sort of’ silent companion role. His peaceful experience in the forest is our peaceful experience in the forest. His confusion, fear, and panic once the second act kicks in, is our confusion, fear and panic. The way in which the forest twists afterwards, becoming dark and dangerous, is an aspect we experience too. It’s not just Sam who is filled with dread, we are too. Within the Pines is a sensory experience and, happily, it pays off this immersion with a powerful and effective ending too.

I thought it was a great film. Short and sharp, filled with imagination and featuring a ton of talent all committed to making the core idea work.