12 Underrated Horror Movie Gems From The 2000s

The moral to this story?

It’s a rather obvious one: do not commit arson.

Set in 1965, The Woods follows the teenaged Heather and her move to a private, all girls’ boarding school after the aforementioned fire starting. An almost immediate victim of bullying from her peers and the overly strict rules enforced by the staff, unease is built before the real horror even begins. Soon after joining, Heather begins to discover the presence of an ancient evil infesting the school and endangering everyone within.

A stylish, suitably macabre homage to earlier private school set horrors such as Even The Wind Is Afraid and Suspiria, The Woods is a slow burn chiller with a frenzied third act. The plot grows increasingly fantastical but never loses track of itself, instead staying true to its genre roots and themes throughout.

Distributors United Artists had planned a 2006 cinematic release for The Woods. Sadly, this was not to be thanks to Sony Pictures buying out Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, United Artists’ parent company. Instead, The Woods sadly wound up going straight to DVD with nary a notice. Wonderfully atmospheric, director Lucky McKee supplies a tightly wound, well-polished horror treat.