There's a Man in the Woods (2014) User Reviews

The boy who cried wolf

[Rectangular_businessman · 8/10 · 4 June 2017]

I liked a lot this short animation, where a seemingly innocent beginning eventually leads to a darker turn of events. In many ways the plot feels like an updated version of some archetypes commonly found in fables and cautionary tales (A feeling certainly helped by the narration in rhymes) with a suspenseful touch.

The animation was pretty neat, with a nice use of colors and stylish character designs. Like in "The Northern Incident" by Max Gilardi, there was an interesting effect in seeing cartoonish characters being involved in a serious story (However, it must be said that the key difference between the two shorts is that in "There's a Man in the Woods" the seriousness is played entirely straight, while in "The Northern Incident"the thriller elements lead to a parodical conclusion)

About the voice acting, I think I will have to agree with the point made by another reviewer about the narrator not sounding the age of the character he is playing, but this detail can be overlooked in favor of the very interesting plot.

Also, Sid has to be one of the most detestable kids in any animated work from the recent years...It says a lot that his implied death at the end almost feels like a moment of justice being served rather than a tragedy.

Very well done

[injury-65447 · 8/10 · 23 May 2020]

I love the style of animation. Good story with a clever rhyming scheme. Builds tension well.

Great writing and delivery throughout – a very engaging and satisfying short animation

[bob the moo · 2 May 2014]

A teacher laments the day when one of the children in his care claims to have seen a man in the woods by the school yard, a claim which sends the other children fleeing back to the blacktop and abandoning their carefree fun in nature and instead becoming tense and being shaped by the wild stories that young Sid spins in order, it seems, to spoil their fun.

There is a lot to really enjoy about this short film and it is additionally good that the viewer enjoys it all the way to a satisfying conclusion. The plot sees a claim spiral out of control and, as the narrator tells the story we understand more about where we are (narratively) and also how we got there. The story in itself is good in a fairytale or fable way, but the manner of the narration makes it much more engaging. Written in the form of a rhyme, the choice and linkage of words is pleasing and engaging to the ear, with a nice flow and creativity to it. Added to this is that the delivery of the dialogue is very good by Michael Ho, but also that it picks up the pace in time with the story, so as things escalate in the story, so the narration becomes faster and slightly frantic before it end with a simple and satisfyingly dark final line.

The animation works well too. Deceptively colorful and friendly, it keeps this general look throughout but yet subverts itself well to differentiate between the parts of the story being told and the story we are in, although with a transition in the middle somewhere rather than a switch. It felt a perfect fit to the narration, although for me it is definitely Streilein's writing and the Ho's delivery that makes it.

INCREDIBLE

[jarrodkatsillis · 10/10 · 13 May 2018]

This is an absolute masterpiece of a short film and I tend to watch quite a few short films, wether it be for school or for personal enjoyment. This short film I could not commend the writers and animators on enough, it just gives you a feeling that you can't shake off and it practically entrances you to the point you'll want to replay it from the moment it ends- and I for one have watched it several times.

Shocking

[lareval · 10/10 · 23 September 2021]

A great, nerve-wracking short that stays with you long after you watched it. A disturbing masterpiece of grounded, real life horror.

GOAT

[crazycedez · 10/10 · 16 March 2020]

Greatest short film I've ever watched. I've probably watched it 70 times and I still get chills every time. I show it to everyone I've ever met whether they want me to or not hahahaha.

There's no real quality in this film

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 18 July 2017]

"There's a Man in the Woods" is a 3.5-minute animated short film from 2014, so it is 3 years old now, a bit over, not a really new movie anymore, but far from something outdated. The director is Jacom Streilein and he is also one of the writers. Yep, writers despite the really short runtime. Actually, more people wrote this film than there are voice actors in it as there is only one, namely the one voicing the teacher in the center of the action. It is the story of this man and how one child's stupid comment makes waves big enough to eventually cost him his job and also his sanity apparently as we see in the final shot. This is also the main problem I have with this film however. Maybe you could have made an argument for the guy losing his job or for him going insane because of that, but both happening in here did not really feel that realistic to me, especially the fact that he becomes unemployed because of what the boy said. Nah. I know parents of small children can be a pain in the arse and there are moments with reference to that that feel authentic, but as a whole it doesn't in my opinion. Another problem I had here is that I did not really like the animation a lot, but that's just subjective. Same about the voice actor. Yes he is as fast as this film, almost to extent where he sounds like a rap musician pretty much. I did not like most of the core components in here and that's why I give it a thumbs-down. Not recommended. If you still want to watch it, do it without your children. This (luckily) very brief movie is for grown-ups.

Literally perfect tho

[flumswack · 11 October 2016]

There's a Man in the Woods perfectly ties animation with spoken word. Instead of simply writing a poem then animating it, the two elements clearly depend on one another. Some lines use images to deliver their final punch (the final words say it all); some images need the monologue to convey an emotion.

Another fusion of two elements in There's A Man In The Woods: the narrative. The story cuts between a montage of the past and the mysteries of the present, all through the eyes of the teacher.

If there's any complaint to be made, it's that he doesn't sound exactly middle aged if you think about it. Whilst this is true, it doesn't matter; the pure emotion of the voice actor's performance sells his character. Every line is delivered with an ounce of realism.

The animation is excellent. I've always adored the whole coniferous-trees-and-empty-roads vibe, and this film nails it. The art style explores a range of colours, balancing a large palette with a dark tint. The animation isn't smooth, but it doesn't need to - I'd rather watch a heartfelt hand-drawn film than some flashy Saturday-morning cartoon jazz.

All in all, There's A Man In The Woods is an underrated masterpiece, begging for more attention.

more than great job

[Kirpianuscus · 3 March 2019]

As teacher, I almost feel this story as personal. The pressure, the dictatorship of parents, the fall are so familiar today. And the film gives more than a realistic story but an impecable crafted work. From the voice of actor to the words of poetry, from the children to the atmosphere and to predictable - implacable end. A film about reality of a myth and about rumors as makers of reality.