The forest: when reality is not what it seems

Unexpected endings seem to be the hallmark of M. Night Shyamalan, the Indian filmmaker who, back in 1999, conquered the public with The sixth Sense. After the success of the film starring Bruce Willis and the then young promise of cinema Haley Joel Osment, Shyamalan tried his luck with other titles such as The Protected (2000) and Signs (2002).

science fiction, thriller and superheroes took over these films until, in 2004, he surprised again with The foresta film that many identified with horror, but which, in reality, followed in the footsteps of other feature films by the filmmaker.

In a small town in Pennsylvania, an unknown threat hides in the woods that surround the town. The inhabitants are aware of the dangers of crossing the boundaries, and they all know the rules well: never wear red, listen to warning calls and stay away from the forest.

With this premise, Shyamalan drew a story in which nothing is what it seems and in which tension and uncertainty take over the viewer.

A terror movie?

It is true that The forest, just by watching its trailer, can inspire that feeling in the viewer, that of being in front of a scary movie. However, after viewing it, doubt arises: what have we just seen? Was it a horror film or the umpteenth staging of Plato’s allegory of the cave?

Thus, It is not surprising that the reactions are so different.: On the one hand, critics applauded the film, although not unanimously; On the other hand, viewers felt somewhat cheated. Perhaps the world was waiting to find itself facing the new Psychosis or even before a work in which the paranormal essence of The sixth Sense.

The forest It is not a horror film, although it may draw on the heritage of the genre on more than one occasion. But It is a film that appeals to doubt and that questions social structures and the limits of knowledge..

Whether or not to leave the comfort zone, let oneself be guided by the heart instead of reason, obey authority or not… These are some of the questions that Shyamalan raises in his film.

I doubt that, at this point, there is anyone who is unaware of Shyamalan’s work, but in order to avoid spoilers unwanted, we warn you that the article could reveal some of the fundamental events of the plot.

From this moment, You decide whether to remain in the cave or cross the threshold that will take you to the blinding light of reality.

The Forest: relationship with the allegory of the cave

Shyamalan stages a place and a series of characters that will immediately remind us of our historical past. A past dominated by mythology and superstition. In the village in question, extraordinary and terrifying events take place linked to the surrounding forest.

No one dares to cross it, no one dares to discover what lies beyond the limits of its borders. The villagers are deeply influenced by the ideas of their leaders and tradition. Somehow, the idea has been conveyed that, in the city, nothing good happens; and, therefore, it is best to remain within the walls of the home.

What would happen if someone dared to cross the border? Although, for years, a kind of truce or peace has been established between the citizens and the strange and sinister creatures that inhabit the forest, a time has come when it is necessary to cross it.

Given the serious injury of one of its inhabitants, the only possible solution is to reach the city in search of medicine. The problem is that the city has been drawn, for the villagers, as a hostile world, in which peaceful life has no place.

The color red evokes what is prohibited in the village, what is sinister and what we must avoid. ; In some way, it alludes to passions, to the irrational over the rational. Meanwhile, yellow rises as the color of protection, as the color that maintains reason and avoids the terrible things of the forest.

However, if we look at the symbolism of both colors, we will realize that, although yellow may have positive connotations, it gives off a certain halo of mystery, deception and lies. So, Through the visual, Shyamalan warns us of the deception of his story.

The village is framed within the standards of the 19th century, however, the reality is very different. For this reason, they decide that a blind woman becomes the ideal candidate to cross the limits of the forest and head to the city. A blind person will never be able to portray or provide a clear vision of the outside world, in this way, the figures in power do not risk the truth being discovered or, at least, that is what the governing bodies think.

And the truth is that the village, despite its similarities with past centuries, is located in a much closer historical moment. Yeah, Shyamalan draws us the cave itself; and it does so from the point of view of its own inhabitants. That is, those who avoid knowledge of reality.

Plato portrayed individuals who believed in the reality that was before their eyes, individuals who believed in the shadows and who, faced with reality, would be scared and would try to eradicate anyone who went against their principles. Shyamalan follows this premise, but gives his protagonist blindness, thus raising doubt and placing the viewer in a different position.

Fear as the greatest enemy

The forest establishes certain parallels with the Platonic cave and, just as the Greek philosopher did, it lays its foundations in indoctrination and, more specifically, in fear. Humans will not want to cross the threshold of reality out of fear, they will prefer to remain in their comfort zone, in that element that provides them with tranquility and protection.

Thus, although fear becomes irrational, it rises as one of the bases of the society that Shyamalan proposes in his village. After the discovery of light, of which the protagonist is not aware because of her blindness, the viewer will begin to question if, perhaps, she still remains in the cave or, in other words, in the darkness.

Are we living a deception? Are the norms that govern religions, or even society, irrational? These are some of the questions we asked ourselves after seeing The foresta film in which nothing is what it seems and in which fear ends up taking over society in order to satisfy certain individual needs.

The forest It will not be surprising for the most staunch followers of the Indian director, since they all know perfectly well his taste for plot twists, for spoilers masked and by the ‘surprise’ endings. However, It is a film that ends up affecting the viewer, causing you to ask yourself some fundamental questions about the society in which you live.

Between a game of contrasts, of lights and shadows, of forbidden colors and protective tones, The forest It rises like a mockery of appearances, like a quasi-contemporary cave myth that is confused with terror.

The logical explanation ends up eradicating paranormal terror to, finally, remind us that there is no greater threat than the human being himself, that there is no greater limit than that of his own mind and that there is no greater threat and horror than that which comes from authoritarianism. and the imposition of reality itself.

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