I’ve never been much for camping.

I’ve probably mentioned this before.  I’ve certainly reviewed enough films about deadly campgrounds and fatal walks through the woods that there’s no way that I haven’t talk about camping in the past.  It’s just not for me.  Even though I grew up largely in the country and I tend to think of myself today as being a country girl in the city, I have to admit that staying out in the wilderness has never appealed to me.  I don’t like bugs.  I don’t like the threat of wild animals suddenly appearing out of nowhere.  I’ve seen enough horror movies to know that I should run if I ever see a guy walking through the woods while wearing a hockey mask.  (Not that it would do any good, of course.  I’m such a klutz that there’s no way I wouldn’t trip over a stick or something.)  The fact of the matter is that I find the wilderness to be very creepy.  The dark shadows, the feeling of being surrounded by trees that tower of above me, the isolation of it all …. nope, not for me!

The Black-Eyed Children, an upcoming horror from from director Jozsef Gallai, does a very good job of capturing just how creepy being alone in the wilderness can be.  Kata Kuna stars as Claire, a young psychology major who is totally excited to have gotten a job as a counselor at St. Beatrice, a camp for children with special needs.  Claire wants to make the world a better place and this seems like a wonderful opportunity to do so.  (Honestly, I hate camping but if you told me that doing so would make life better for a child who hasn’t been given much in the world, I would be the first to head down to the sporting goods store and buy a tent.)  However, when Claire enters the woods and finds herself at St. Beatrice, it’s not at all what she was expecting to find.

The camp appears to be totally deserted.  The children who were supposed to be there are gone.  The other counselors who were presumably employed there have disappeared.  Claire walks through the camp, checking cabins and searching for an explanation.  Finding the files on the kids who were supposed to be at camp, Claire starts dialing phone numbers and what she discovers shocks her.  And no, I’m not going to tell you what she discovers.  The Black-Eyed Children is scheduled for a late 2025 release so you can watch it then and find out the secret of St. Beatrice.

The Black-Eyed Children is a found footage film.  Luckily, Jozsef Gallai is one of the best when it comes to working with the found footage genre and the film is full of creepy and atmospheric imagery.  St. Beatrice and the woods surrounding it all give off a vibe of steady menace, leaving the viewer frightened about what might jump out of the shadows.  Kata Kuna does a great job as Claire and what she discovers at St. Beatrice will leave you feeling uneasy, especially if you know about the urban legend that gives this film its name.  Clocking in at 70 minutes, The Black-Eyed Children is an effective and creepy horror film.  It’ll definitely keep you out of the woods.