PopHorror Let's Get Scared
It’s a tale as old as time: friends going away on a camping trip, motivated by alcohol and the opposite sex, messing around in woods that are haunted by a masked killer. This formula almost always finds a home with horror hounds, especially when it’s peppered with characters and a lore that has some originality to them. Let’s take a look at Deathwoods, one of the newest entries in the genre, and see how it stacks up in the campfire compendium.
Deathwoods is written by Scott Conner (in his feature writing debut) and Jake Kopronica (The House Among The Trees 2025), and directed by Kopronica and Deryk Wehrley (in his feature directing debut). It stars KateLynn E. Newberry (Cape Fear TV Series 2026) as Michelle and Anthony Dain (What’s Wrong Wendy? 2026) as Scott. The easy comparison to make for Deathwoods is Friday the 13th (read our retro review here), but this movie tries to add a few more layers atop the camp slasher stereotypes. Scott is coming off of a suddenly ended relationship, and Michelle has been betrayed by her best friend and ex-boyfriend. That extra vulnerability leads to some ernest moments for the main characters and makes them more easily cheered for in the final act.
Newberry really gets to shine through some of her scenes of isolation, but the story of the tortured Wallace family dynamic is also engaging. Every good camp slasher needs a campfire origin story, and the one in Deathwoods feels a bit less cookie-cutter than other Jason Voorhees homages. Audiences will be able to tell that this is crafted with love. There are also some beloved indie horror cameos for fans to enjoy.
Wehrley has a noted background in special effects, so it’s no surprise that the gore in Deathwoods is one of its big bright spots. There are a few bloody tributes to the 80s here, and they’ll be very satisfying to the gore hounds. There are also a few twists that keep the film well-paced and easy to digest.
If you’re a fan of camp slashers, Deathwoods comes recommended. It’s currently available to stream on Screambox.
