In the forests north of St. Petersburg, Russia lies a place of evil. For the past three decades, people have gone missing in these woods, found later dead and naked. What is responsible for these disappearances? Why are the victims left naked? When it comes to this land, locals believe these atrocities are the responsibility of an evil spirit known as the Lame Widow. 

The Widow, directed by Svyatoslav Podgaevsky, written by Natalya Dubovaya and Ivan Kapitonov, is a look into the horror of these woods. In its opening minutes, The Widow offers an enticing set up; cutting between in-person interviews and footage of the outdoors, several individuals speak to this forest and the disappearances it is known for. The cinematography provides a grounded, realistic look – nothing flashy or dressed up. In this manner, the conversations and imagery present a morbid curiosity for the audience to latch onto. 

However, intriguing set up and all, the film starts on a sluggish note. The audience is introduced to the main cast of characters – a search and rescue team – who is also accompanied by a news reporter. Their introduction revolves around understanding their tactics and experience when it comes to missions, but there is barely any personality to these characters. While that may throw some viewers off, it’s worth noting that The Widow isn’t striving to explore much with said characters, but rather, have them exist for the sake of the plot. In that sense, they function well enough.

Once the viewer gets past all the bland character introductions, The Widow picks up. 

Receiving a call regarding a missing boy, the team departs from a training exercise and heads out. As they look for him, they come across a woman who is in rough shape and naked. Time passes as the team attends to her, night falling upon them. After some time walking, they eventually make it back to their vehicle – but they soon find out that leaving the woods will not be easy. The woman wakes up and shares the story behind the Lame Widow and why she haunts the forest. When issues arise that cause the team to be lost, the Widow begins to make her advance on them, using her powers to manipulate their minds and taking them out one by one. 

One of the strongest aspects to The Widow is its woodland imagery. Like the film’s beginning segment, there is a lack of cinematic flashiness, which in turn creates a more grounded, haunting vibe. There is a nervous air when watching the team walk through the woods. A true sense of isolation looms over them, the dark coming across threatening. Anxiety and fear consume them, panic leading them into more dangerous territory. Solid sound design further elevates this discomfort, with each random noise layering the distress on everyone.

On top of the eeriness, the Widow proves herself to be a sinister force. Her tactics to infiltrate each member’s mind and warp their sense of reality makes for some great moments of suspense. There are some jump scares and spooky imagery – one scene taking place in an area called the pit being a strong highlight. But predominantly, The Widow is a more of an atmospheric experience when it comes to horror. Certain portions of the film involve a first-person perspective, these up-close segments making for some extra intense tension.

With such a strong, chilling presence for the most part, it is a shame how the film opts to end things. Literally in its last couple minutes, there comes a narrative decision that feels barely fleshed out. Given the randomness of this moment, along with how sudden other matters occur, the ending drops the ball when it comes to ominous potential.

The Widow isn’t so much a slow burn, but its pacing sets up a dynamic where the audience has to sit with the isolation and dread enveloping the cast. The titular Widow’s abilities and that of the potent atmosphere establish a prominent aura of unease throughout. Even with some rough narrative patches, The Widow is a creepy tale that’ll make one think twice before stepping into any woods in the pitch black of night. 

The Widow debuts on major VOD and digital platforms and on DVD & Blu-ray on March 30, 2021 from Shout! Studios and Scream Factory.