The Forest of the Lost Souls

The Forest of the Lost Souls is a 2017 compelling psychological thriller directed by José Pedro Lopes. The movie stars Daniela Love, Jorge Mota, and Mafalda Banquart among others, delivering performance stellar enough to keep the audience fascinated till the end.

The film is set in Portugal against the backdrop of Aokigahara, a real-life forest in Japan, which is notorious as a popular place for people to end their lives. The film, however, transforms this geography and its embedded cultural nuance, giving an eerie, existential twist to the tale of two strangers who meet in this enigmatic location.

Right when the characters enveloped by an enigmatic forest, under the umbrella of dense mists and murky pin-drop silence, the narrative takes us on a journey into the lives of two individuals: Ricardo (Jorge Mota) and Carolina (Daniela Love). The plot is designed to unfold through dialogue, thus allowing the audience to gradually piece together the histories, mystique, and intentions of these characters.

Ricardo is an older gentleman carrying emotional baggage and distress while battling personal demons. Struggling with the loss of his daughter, he is introduced as a man pushed to the edge of despair, trying to make sense of the tragedy that pushed him into the forest. Contrastingly, Carolina is a free-spirited young woman, who seems to be tad too familiar with the forest and the darkness it hides. Their meeting in the forest instigates an odd friendship that evolves throughout the movie, revealing twisted plot twists that keep audiences on their toes.

As we dive deeper, both characters become increasingly nuanced and complex. Ricardo's melancholy and hopelessness are intertwined masterfully with Carolina’s wild, almost eerie energy. The chemistry between these two characters forms the crux of the movie, slowly unveiling a layer of darkness that overshadows the narrative into compelling suspense.

The Forest of the Lost Souls treads along the line of suspense, mystery, and horror genres, but it is, at its core, a psychological exploration of human emotions, despair, and the extreme lengths to which circumstances can push an individual. It is not a horror film in the conventional sense, but its bleak, haunting atmosphere creates a genuine sense of dread that goes beyond monsters or supernatural elements. Instead, the film creates horror through its exploration of the human psyche and despair.

The film is shot in exquisite black and white, which gives it a timeless feel while intensifying the haunting atmosphere of the forest. The cinematography and the art direction reinforces the emotional weight of the film. The stark contrast between the shadows and the light mirrors the complex emotions of the characters and their mental state. The overall aesthetics of the film reinforce the narrative, and the black and white color scheme acts as an allegory to the turmoil of the characters and their moral dilemmas.

With a running time of around 70 minutes, the movie is short but rich in its narrative. Director José Pedro Lopes ensures that every scene, every character has a raison d'être. He uses silence and minimalist scenic portrayals to create a chilling narrative that burrows deep into the viewer's mind. The director has a unique way of unfolding the layers of the narrative, allowing the audience to delve into the psychoanalytical aspects of the protagonists' lives.

In terms of acting, both Daniela Love and Jorge Mota deliver impactful performances, making their characters believably disturbed and haunting. Their complexities become the anchor of the film, with the forest being the canvas for their raw emotions.

As the name suggests, The Forest of the Lost Souls uses the metaphor of the ‘forest’ as a purgatory for lost souls battling their personal demons, pushing the viewers into a realm of existential dread. It’s an art-house film that not just entertains but also compels viewers to self-introspect life, loss and despair.

Overall, The Forest of the Lost Souls is a gripping, emotionally charged film that navigates the realms of psychological thriller and horror. It offers a storytelling experience that is both tragic and troubling, but also deeply thoughtful, pushing its audiences to question their grasp on reality, morality and the myriad shades of human emotions painted in stark black-and-white.