"A horror movie set in the woods which features a girl and two guys and is presented as a found footage feature. Sounds familiar doesn't it?"

A Night in the Woods is, of course, a horror movie set in the woods, which features a girl and two guys and is presented as a found footage feature. Sounds familiar doesn't it? I wonder if director Richard Parry has ever seen The Blair Witch Project...

We follow the story of young couple Brody (Scoot McNairy) and Kerry (Anna Skellern) who, alongside friend Leo (Andrew Hawley) decide to venture into the Dartmoor Wistman's Woods to go hiking, deciding to ignore the supposed haunted past that exists. However, it soon transpires that Leo is more of a friend to Kerry than Brody has realised, and soon cracks in their relationship begin to appear as this supposedly peaceful trip is fuelled with lapses of jealously and incessant arguing.

As tension mounts and paranoia strikes, the three soon realise that perhaps their own person indifferences are the least of their troubles, as there are evidently darker forces at work, as the terrified and seemingly abandoned trio face up to the fact that they're going to have to spend a night in the woods...

The biggest issue with A Night in the Woods is how unoriginal it is. Film makers implement found footage in an attempt to be avant-garde, but are inadvertently doing the complete opposite as the format is being done to death. The genre comes with too many vexations also, as you can't help but pick holes in the format. If I've said it once I've said it a million times - but if you're being attacked do you really film it? Personally, I'd chuck the camera and leg it.

However much of the filming does feel plausible, as the characters make references to how often Brody feels the need to document their actions on film. The acting is also faultless in such a respect, as there is a naturalistic feeling to the dialogue and the performances are realistic. However if they really wanted to be realistic, surely one of the three protagonists would have said, "God, isn't this situation a bit like that Blair Witch Project film, eh?"

And whether Parry likes it or not, there are inevitable comparisons to be made to The Blair Witch Project. I mean, they even interview the creepy locals before venturing into the woods to find out about the myths and legends that exist. The Blair Witch Project is also not the best film you want to be compared to, as it's one of the most innovative and terrifying horror movies ever made. A Night in the Woods just doesn't stand up to it, as it fails to thrive within the simplicity of which Eduardo Sanchez's 1999 classic revels in. The premise is simple - it's three people lost in the woods, but Parry attempts too much bringing in too many sub-plots and unnecessary romantic narratives, carelessly confusing matters.

Parry can't be accused of not making a scary film though, although it does take at least half of the feature before anything remotely scary occurs. Setting the scene is vital but this prolongs the beginning too long, as before we know it we're into the grand finale. However, such a long build up does make the scary scenes even more spine-tingling as they have been anticipated for so long. There is just something really bloody scary about being in a tent not knowing what on earth is going on outside of it.

A Night in the Woods isn't a terrible movie, it has it's scary moments and the final quarter of an hour is captivating. However, it's just far too unoriginal and, unfortunately for Parry, bears various comparisons to one of the greatest horror movies ever made, which never helps.