3 Reasons Why I liked Into the Forest (2015)

Static

Would you have survived the lockdowns without computers, the internet, and Netflix? Would you have survived without electricity?

While living deep inside the beauty of the forest, like any of the young generation sisters Nell and Eva were looking forward to medical school and a prestigious dance group respectively. Nell was using computers for studying while the dancer Eva a great sound system in full blast when suddenly all electrical power was lost. Into the Forest is the story of their struggle.

These are the 3 things I liked of the movie. There are spoilers.

The family home last few minutes before power's out

Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood

I’ve heard of actors wanting a bit of their personality in the roles they play. Lately Wentworth Miller declared that he does not want straight roles anymore. I don’t know if Martin Sheen requested for it but Jed Bartlett being Catholic felt a little out of place with me.

For fair and unfair reasons, including remembering the 2^nd season of Umbrella Academy, I was always wondering if Ellen Page’s character Nell is gay. Could this movie be a coming out story when there’s no world to come out to, I thought. 

The persistent question also means I did not buy the Nell and Eli (Max Minghella) chemistry together and the tension it was meant to give between the sisters.

Nell and Eli. Let's just say I did not buy into the romance.

It’s just that Nell and Eva (Evan Rachel Wood) don’t look alike, not one hair or mannerism. True they could have been step sisters or half sisters, but Nell is often in a long sleeved plaid shirt and sometimes a combination of jacket or sweater; you’d be hard pressed to remember a feminine shape. 

Contrast that to Eva who looked very feminine, sometimes with a shoulder exposed.

The sisters slept in the woods guarding the body of their father
against animals.

Was Nell channeling her father?

I did think Nell was channeling her father (Callum Keith Rennie) who died in the story; she took his place making plans how to survive and a little after the death scene was crying her heart out hugging his plaid shirt. 

However, wearing the clothing of a recently deceased parent if it was that deserves mention in the dialogue and there was no such conversation. Plus the shoulder lines indicate that it is Nell’s shirt.

Regardless of what I think of Nell, Ellen and Rachel are extremely good as sisters or even as just two people dedicated to just keeping each other live in the end of the world. Yes I would prefer them not to be sisters. 

80 to 90 percent of Into the Forest would only be about Nell and Eva; whatever flaws I think of Nell the teamwork brought it respectability. The 3 of the men in their lives were scattered strategically through the entire runtime adding texture, but you’d barely remember them.

Without their father there was no point in having a room

The Story was on the Micro perspective, the day to day

Not every movie has the courage and skill to pull off just two people talking. And not every audience would be into just two people talking.

Is it time to use the supplies or not?

How would you get your traumatized sister to eat?

What Into the Forest has expertly acted out is one possible facet of the end of the world if covid-19 has taught us – it’s all about the day to day. This is where the back and forth between Nell and Eva is so beautiful to watch.

There’s no alien who could end all life in a day or an hour. The dead have not reanimated and ate all the living. Day to day is about doing the chores, finding food, and carrying that one person you have and vice versa, against boredom, anxiety, or depression.

How would a dancer cope any kind of music player? What would you do day and night?

The shot that illustrates this best is Nell turning on the radio regularly as far as she could and receiving only static. No aliens coming, no zombies, no reason why the world is in the situation it is in right now. 

There’s no information on anything, no entertainment, just static. The world did end in a manner of speaking. How do you go on when you know absolutely nothing?

Would you raise a baby under there?

Under this roof?

When all Else Fails Come to Nature

I only managed connect to a pro-nature angle at the final scene. It was so obvious that you can’t miss it and also too shocking a decision that me with no outdoor camping experience find forced.

With book in hand and careful study of the area...

Nell and Eva harvest whatever plants...

...or animals they require.

Eva had just given birth in the forest in what Nell’s personal quiet space earlier deep into the forest, a giant hollowed out tree stump with space for two people and had a roof of unknown quality, design, and materials. Outside shots of this stump give you the impression that the roof is just lying on top of it. 

A big part of the roof of the house they’re staying in had just collapsed so they evacuated, temporarily at the time to give birth. When they came back to the house Eva all of the sudden calls for it to be burned down. 

She says a burned house would give them security since owners will be presumed dead or have migrated far and away. And then she correctly adds that all they ever needed to survive has come from the forest – in other words nature.

If there’s anything the covid-19 lockdown has shown food takes precedence over many aspects of modern life including electricity. It is the reason why vertical or indoor farming is given a big long look. Big cities which are a sign of wealth and power will be of no use.

Eva makes fine arguments. I’d agree with it wholeheartedly were it not for a baby. Full disclosure I’ve never had a child, but I fear for baby's that I wouldn’t bring them out in the rain or rely on a tree stump for the rest of his growing days. 

Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood have chemistry but
I would rather them not be sisters.

Furthermore the house has books and other materials they could have cannibalized later on for the baby. It’s a waste of resources if you think of the scene practically.

Cinematically, thematically, maybe not practically, the baby and the burning of the house means to say burning of the old and the ushering in of the new. Take care of the forest and it will take care of you.