Parents' Guide to

Into the Forest

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Mature but thoughtful dystopian sisterhood drama.

Movie R 2016 101 minutes
Into the Forest Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 16+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Niny Mathe
Niny Mathe Adult
August 8, 2021
age 13+

One of the best movies but it not a horror or thriller

This movie is like an everyday life situation and it is very nice. Where I live, we are used to something called load shedding where we are without power for some time, yes, six months is an exaggeration but still a good movie. A sister connection, father passing away and finding ways to live in an isolated forest. A woman is raped and falls pregnant and still loves the child and the other sister is there to help with. It such a nice movie.
Bjones07
Bjones07 Adult
June 10, 2020
age 18+

NEEDS TRIGGER WARNING

Very brutal rape scene happens in the movie where a young virgin is violently beaten and raped, and then carries and gives birth to a rape baby. Extremely TRIGGERING for survivors and young children!!! Beware..

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

INTO THE FOREST takes place some time in the future, with sisters Nell (Elliot Page) and Eva (Evan Rachel Wood) living with their father (Callum Keith Rennie) in a remote house in the woods. Nell is studying for her SAT, and Eva is preparing for a dance audition, when -- with no explanation -- the power suddenly goes out. They make do, but when the power doesn't come back on for several days, they realize they must start to prepare for the worst. They venture into town for supplies and ration their gas. After a tragic accident, Nell and Eva must go it alone. As the outage continues for months, the girls learn to grow and hunt their own food, but they must also deal with tough choices and brutal violence -- as well as unexpected gifts.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (1 ):

Unlike just about every other post-apocalyptic movie ever made, this sisterly drama has no aliens, chases, or fights; it's lushly beautiful, but heavy and soft. Yet its soapy quality may appeal to some audiences. Director Patricia Rozema (Mansfield Park, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl) emphasizes the beauties of the outdoors, of living organically off the land. It's frequently raining, and the foliage always looks breathtaking. Add to that the focus on Nell (Elliot Page) training her mind and Eva (Evan Rachel Wood) training her body, and it's a perfect picture of what it means to be a human living on Earth.

All that said, Rozema isn't quite so adept at telling her story. The plot turns of Into the Forest, both hopeful and tragic, come in great, thumping chunks. Everything is telegraphed, and it rarely flows. Fortunately, both Page and Wood give strong, brave, open performances, finding the strength to carry the film's emotions and ideas from scene to scene; they're the glue between moments.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Into the Forest's violence. How does it affect the story? Does it take you out of the story or bring you deeper into it? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • What do you think makes futuristic/dystopian stories so compelling to audiences? What does Into the Forest have in common with other movies in this genre? How is it different?

  • What role does sex play in the movie? How does the film's serious tone affect the impact of the scenes involving sex and nudity? How much sexual content in media is appropriate for kids? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

  • What do the characters learn over the course of the movie? What do they accomplish? Does the movie offer role models?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate