Written by Reine Swart and directed by Hendrik Cronje and Mari Molefe van Heerden, the 2025 drama feature film ‘The Forest‘ stars Ruan Wessels, Simone Neethling and Roderick Jaftha.
The unthinkable has happened and Earth’s population has been decimated by nuclear war. Amongst the empty forests, Hienrich, a survivor, wanders and tries to carve out a living for himself. Believing himself to be the last of mankind, Heinrich is very surprised when he comes across a young woman on the run, Em. However Em is hiding a terrible secret; she has magical abilities and is being hunted down by a dangerous group of criminals. Content with his solitary life, Hienrich needs to make a decision that will have far reaching repercussions for his life.
‘The Forest’ is a great film. There has been no shortage of post-apocalyptic films but ‘The Forest’ manages to say something unique about this subgenre. It is minimalistic yet manages to say so much about the world, about humans and about our nature. Nuclear war has always been one of humanity’s greatest fears and to see its effects come to pass in this film was eye popping. Equally awesome were the directing duo’s ability to throw a few curveballs to the audience. I went into the film blind (I did not research about it nor did I see the trailer) and I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least.
The direction is on point as Hendrik Cronje and Mari Molefe van Heerden manage to take Reine Swart’s script and turn it into something great. A great script does not always turn out great but here the directing duo manage to do the script justice. Also impressive is how Cronje and van Heerden approach the story’s pacing. The pacing is slow at the start but when it picks up, it never lets go. This is a character driven story and Cronje and van Heerden never lose focus of this.
In the acting department, both Ruan Wessels and Simone Neethling are extraordinary. Ruan Wessels as Hienrich manages to be stoic yet resolute while Simone Neethling perfectly encapsulates the damsel in distress hiding a terrible secret. The script gives the duo plenty of opportunities to shine and both Wessels and Neethling manage to nail every one of these opportunities without fail. The bad guys are equally detestable and all round, the cast gives a fantastic performance which manages to elevate the entire film.
Another thing that is impressive about the film is its cinematography. With its fantastic depiction of lush forests and nature, the film shows how our planet will fare once most of the humans have been exterminated. Not only does it inspire us to protect and nurture what nature we have left but it also leaves us thankful that we are still here to change our ways. Equally great is how Hendrik Cronje and Mari Molefe van Heerden frame the action, ensuring that the audience always has a driving seat view of the conflict. It not only helps keep the action grounded but also the audience invested.
A poignant look into finding connection after the apocalypse, ‘The Forest’ is a gritty and moving tale of survival set after the world has already seemingly ended. Hendrik Cronje and Mari Molefe van Heerden have made a tremendously moving picture, anchored by terrific performances and a central emotional core that gives the film its authenticity. An emotional gut punch that is moving and poignant, ‘The Forest’ features fantastic acting, great cinematography and a foreboding sense of doom. There is so much to like in this film; from its approach to lingering trauma to how it chooses to deal with it. An all round ace effort from everyone involved, ‘The Forest’ is a fantastic film that needs to be seen.
