orest in a foreign town.
The forest becomes a frightening place when the three protagonists begin to get lost. The amity between them turns into intense fights when they blame one another for their situation. The forest becomes even more threatening when they encounter unusual configurations of stones and hear voices in the darkness. To them, the forest has turned into a living entity that threatens to overwhelm them. Although they are using the compass, they find themselves going around in circles, as though they are trapped in a spell conjured by "witches" in the forest.
One of the key elements that clearly distinguishes this film from "Young Goodman Brown" is the presence of technology. Although it appears strange that Heather continues to film them even when they are caught up in their crisis, her filming is an attempt for her to feel in charge of a situation that is spiraling out of control. Lost in the middle of nowhere, Heather clings onto the video cameras and tapes the events because the machines allow her to hang onto her world beyond the forest. In addition, she can distance herself from their predicament by viewing the situation through the lens as though she is not a part of the crisis.
In fact, as they become more lost, the three protagonists do not cooperate with one another; instead, each of them is caught up in their own worlds. Individually, they are thrown into their own nightmares and are unable to reach out to one another to share their fears. The only instance where they have a moment of calm and amity is when they indulge in their fantasies of home life. Otherwise, for the most part, they are alone in their perceptions of the nightmarish situation. Josh closes up and sits by himself. Heather does not reveal her discovery of the blood in the tiny packages wrapped around the faggot of wood left near the tent. Michael chews a dried leaf in solitary contemplation. Towards the end of the film, Michael da...