After two teenage brothers manage to escape their abusive father, they embark on a journey in the hope of finding their estranged mother who has joined a sadistic cult deep in the woods of Northwestern Pennsylvania. Like Erie, maybe?

Directed and written by Kevin Ignatius (a Pitt grad) and Nick Psinakis, this story of Henry (Carter O'Donnell) and Jacob (Brady O'Donnell) finally getting to find their mother and perhaps going from frying pan at home to fire in the outside world. The performances feel very amateur in places, yet the visuals are strong with gorgeous forest scenery and solid cinematography. I wish everything else was as well-done as that, as the story both seems too fast and too slow at the same time. This is a roundabout way of saying that the pacing is off.

That said, if you'd like some wandering around in the occult-filled woods, The Long Dark Trail can lead you to that. I'd like to see what Ignatius and Psinakis keep doing as there's definitely some talent here, even if I didn't enjoy all of this. The effects are always pretty nice, so there are definitely moments worth watching here, despite some of the things I've called out.

The film follows two young boys, desperate to escape their abusive father, as they seek out their mother through the wilderness of Pennsylvania. However, their journey takes a dark turn when the older brother, Henry, develops a strange patch of skin on the back of his neck and begins to act increasingly erratic. As they traverse the woods, the brothers encounter unexplainable signs, raising questions about what they're really up against. Will they ever reach their destination?

While the movie attempts a stylish approach by dividing the story into eight chapters, it feels disjointed and slows down the pacing. The overall production is low-budget, and the acting is not very convincing. Although the movie seems to aim for a deeper meaning, it struggles to articulate a clear message, leaving the audience feeling unsatisfied by the end.

The horror elements in the movie come across as cheesy and fail to create a truly scary atmosphere, making it feel more like a high school film project than a professionally produced feature film. Overall I would skip this one.