Running at a svelte seventy minutes, Pierre Mouchet’s Schlitter: Evil in the Woods wastes no time in getting going. Set within the remote Vosges region of France, Schlitter begins with eight year old best friends, Lucas and Mathias, playing. Their play is interrupted by Luke’s mean father who whisks his son away. Later, Lucas is horrified when he witnesses his father hit Mathias with his car, and run. This opening accident is brutal, not only because of the impact of the incident itself, but also the savage way in which Lucas’ father callously discards the body. Maiming children always generates a shock or two, and Mouchet ensures that he grabs the audience’s attention immediately whilst simultaneously teasing that far worse events will unfold.
Decades later, in the wake of his parents’ deaths, Lucas (Louka Meliava) returns home with girlfriend Julie (Léna Laprès) and friend Arnaud (Côme Levin). There he reunites with Mathias’ father (Gilles David) , a lonely old man still determined to uncover the truth about his long missing son, whatever the cost. Although it is fairly obvious where Schlitter is headed early on – for any viewer remotely knowledgeable about horror at least – it never dulls the fun. Those versed in films such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Don’t Breathe will be the most keyed in, but as with those films, the thrills of enjoyment come from the viewer trying to anticipate when and how the bloodshed will begin. Up until that moment, Mounchet takes great delight in tantalising the audience throwing the odd red herring in for maximum fun.
Schlitter will also play well to the Speak No Evil crowd as politeness plays a part in Lucas’ downfall, as does his guilt. It is evident right from the moment that he arrives home that Lucas still carries his guilt for the part he played in Mathias’ fate. That he is placed further into the role of victim as the object of torment has an uncomfortable edge to it. Whilst Lucas has never come forward with the truth, the fleeting glimpse into his childhood shows it would have been impossible. His cruel father would have likely finished him off too and that fact lessens any ill will the viewer could have toward him for keeping the secret.
Lucas is not Julie James and company in I Know What You Did Last Summer that don’t want to risk scholarships and such. The event occurred when he was a child with no power or voice, and watching him have vengeance wrought on him makes the violence that extra bit more potent. On the other side, the perpetrator has spent decades mourning his child, all the while being aware that Lucas knows more than he’s letting on. It throws into question who is more of a victim – Lucas, or Mathias’ father – whilst the outright villain of the piece is clearly Lucas’ father.
After a fraught and somewhat fun first half, Schlitter descends into violence. At this juncture the wheels begin to loosen and Mouchet struggles to remain on course. He does however, manage to pepper the narrative with some unexpected surprises. These are revealed alongside an ever increasing degree of nastiness, ensuring that the bloodhounds amongst the audience are well fed. Given its super short runtime, some parts of the plot are truncated, and others would be better off left out. Overall though, Schlitter manages to keep its feet and makes for a fun variant of Don’t Breathe crossed with Wolf Creek.
Schlitter: Evil in the Woods
Summary
Although some of the developments are signposted early doors, Schlitter remains an entertaining horror that unfurls at breakneck speed.
Schlitter: Evil in the Woods was reviewed at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2024. Schlitter: Evil in the Woods is out on Digital now via Signature Entertainment.
