The Devil Complex (2016)

Aka Baciu Forest

This is basically Blair Witch in the snow in Transylvania but nothing happens.  When one of his students disappears while researching Baicu Forest, a professor spends a few years trying to figure out what happened to her. He discovers her video camera buried in the snow, uploads the footage to the web and commits suicide.  The rest of the movie is footage of Rachel, her cameraman and sound guy. 

Rachel, Joe and Tom travel to Transylvania to investigate the myths surrounding Baicu Forest. They start by doing interviews with locals in the street. Some of them believe the stories, while others think it’s just rumors.  But no one really wants to go there.  They are warned to stay away because “the forest looks into your soul and judges you and decides if you live or die.”

The group talks to a cantankerous old dude and follows him into the Forest, which seems like it may be more of a park based on the gaps in trees which could be paths.  There is snow covering the ground so we can’t really tell.  The group walks for a long time and eventually the old due freaks out and runs off. They yell after him and aren’t sure what to do since he ‘s their guide. No one can figure out that there is snow on the ground and they can follow his footprints, or try to retrace their step.  

It’s not clear how long they’ve been walking or how much it has snowed. So maybe retracing their steps would eventually lead to a place where their footprints are covered. But it might be better than sitting in a forest in winter that is ruomored to kill people who go into it. And again, there are gaps in the trees which potentially are paths hidden by the snow.

There is a lot of running, falling, nausea inducing camera swings, and people making bad decisions.  What there isn’t a whole lot of is anything scary.  Also when the movie opens with footage from their camera, it sounds like they are laughing. Then you realize it’s people running through the woods in the dark and it’s probably supposed to be the sound of fear and panic. But that’s not a good start when you can’t tell if the shouts are fun or fear.

Legitimate question from the crew:

If he believes in that ghost crap, why did he agree to bring us here?

Going full Blair Witch

He calmly says his ankle itches and then reveals this

I know they’re suppose to be students,
but their boom mic is showing