The Barrens

R

Released Sep 28, 2012

1h 37m

Horror

List

Reviews

22%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

A man takes his family on a camping trip in the New Jersey Pine Barrens and becomes convinced they are being stalked by the Jersey Devil.

Read More

Read Less

Watch on Fandango at Home

Premiered Aug 04

Buy Now

Fandango at Home

Prime Video

Rent The Barrens on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

Naila Scargill

Exquisite Terror

Delivers a number of tired tropes amidst a bland screenplay that largely consists of tedious, drawn-out padding.

Feb 28, 2019

Full Review

Scott Weinberg

TheHorrorShow

There are definitely some worthwhile ideas and components here. They're just trapped in a film that can't afford them.

Aug 23, 2015

Full Review

Brian Orndorf

Blu-ray.com

Bousman doesn't have the vision to hoist the horror up high, settling on a mundane camping thriller only sporadically enlivened by mysterious violence.

Rated: C-

Oct 3, 2012

Full Review

Read all reviews

Chuck P

Honestly, for a low budget movie it was better than some of the higher budget ones out there. A bit of a horror/thriller that you weren't sure what was happening. Now if you are someone who only can judge a movie or have interest in it based on how many millions they spent on CGI, this may not be for you, otherwise worth the watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A cool psychological thriller where a man tries to take his family on a simple camping getaway, but all hell breaks loose when they may or may not be getting terrorized by the Jersey Devil. It's all filmed with an ugly lense and features some annoying characters, in a story that's a little rote. But it's still decent filler for folks that enjoy these kinds of thrillers.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/09/22

Full Review

Audience Member

An (at least fractionally) complex horror story based on a cryptid I'm familiar with, but have never seen put to screen before. Cast's not great ,but not worth complaining about either. The central creep is held in reserve, almost certainly for monetary reasons, but it works in The Barrens' favour. I won't be revisiting this Jersey Devil horror, but I did have an okay time with it.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Please, someone, make a more realistic disemboweled deer-like animal for movie consumption! This "film" has some of the least animal looking animals I've ever seen (well, since third grade art class, anyway.) They do try not to show them, by obscuring with tree limbs etc.but once seen, they cannot be unseen, and that somewhat ruins all that comes afterward.(for me.) ??????

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Boring rehash of the Shining.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The Barrens is a horror that thinks it's a drama. A family of four head into the New Jersey forest, and run into a monster from the American folk legend: The Jersey Devil. It touches on some satanic plot devices, bad witch stories from the Salem days, and kids telling campfires stories about garbage they read online. Normally I wouldn't trash a movie for trying (and this one certainly does), but the problem with this film is that it's SO badly acted. The father, played by Stephen Moyer (of True Blood fame) is the only actor with any real experience. Sadly he doesn't bring any of that to this film. He starts as a distant, derelict, and somewhat dead-beat father, trying to reconnect with his son and daughter, and quickly devolves into a madhouse drunkard possessed by abstract visions and nightmares. He never once comes across as father, and acts like a genuine jackass throughout the movie. His new wife doesn't do a very good job at being amicable but the children... my god these two kids are the most annoying poorly devised children you've ever seen. They are what baby-boomers must think Millennials must speak like. The dialogue that is regurgitated out of their mouths, makes one gag at the very thought that someone put pen to paper and devised this film. Every second on screen is an agonizing display of ineptitude, that makes you weep for the future generations of young actors. I never once felt like they were a family, nobody showed any genuine affection or love towards each other, and every scene is a lost opportunity to make a genuine film. The most effort they put into it was with the monster, which sadly remains elusive throughout the film until the very ending. It almost makes it worthwhile until the screen lingers just a little too long and you can see the seems that connect the cowl to the rest of the body. Nothing makes up for the clumsy acting and direction of this film, and you shouldn't bother. Badly Acted Drivel. 1.5/5

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Post a rating

Darren Bousman

Director

Stephen Moyer

Richard Vineyard

Mia Kirshner

Cynthia Vineyard

Erik Knudsen

Ryan

Allie MacDonald

Sadie Vineyard

Demore Barnes

Deputy Ranger

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

View more photos

Synopsis

A man takes his family on a camping trip in the New Jersey Pine Barrens and becomes convinced they are being stalked by the Jersey Devil.

Director: Darren Bousman
Producer: Sean E. DeMott, Thomas M. Kastelz, Steve Ruff, Jon Campfens, Peter Denomme, Robert Khachatooriyan, Edward Mokhtarian, Thomas Vencelides
Screenwriter: Darren Bousman
Production Co: Empire Film & Entertainment Group, Splendid Film
Rating: R (Violence|Language)
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 28, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 26, 2017
Runtime: 1h 37m

Most Popular at Home Now