Sergey A. And Ivan Shakhov's "Forest Monster" is a gleefully chaotic takedown of paranormal TV tropes, blending deadpan interviews with moments of surreal hilarity. Shot like a low-budget "Blair Witch Project" meets "The Office", this mockumentary follows a clueless reporter (Shakhov) as he interviews "survivors" of a mythical forest creature-except everyone involved seems to be in on the joke except him. The result is a film that's as much a satire of bad acting as it is of cryptid-mania.
Ivan Shakhov's reporter character, armed with a microphone and zero charisma, travels to a forest to document sightings of the titular monster. The film unfolds through a series of Zoom-style interviews (some literally submitted via grainy webcam) with locals whose accounts range from mildly suspicious to blatantly unhinged. One man claims the monster stole his dog; another swears it's a fake. The "narrative" peaks when Dmitry Abalikhin's witness, mid-interview, pivots from trauma to anatomical speculation: "Its... uh, genitalia ... was like a tree trunk! No, bigger!" Cue Shakhov's stunned silence-a rare moment of genuine acting.
The film's DIY charm lies in its janky editing, mismatched footage, and actors who oscillate between wooden delivery and full-blown trolling. Shakhov's deadpan questions clash hilariously with witnesses' escalating absurdity.
By having interviewees break character, argue with the crew, or rant about irrelevant topics, the film lampoons the scripted fakeness of paranormal TV. It's "Ghost Adventures" if the ghosts were drunk uncles at a family reunion.
The more the witnesses mock the premise, the more the film becomes a satire of itself. Dmitriy Abalikhin's unhinged tangent about the monster's genitalia is an instant cult classic, blending horror and comedy with anatomical specificity. Some scenes drag, unsure if they're mocking bad TV or just being bad TV.
"Forest Monster" joins a proud tradition of Russian absurdist comedy where societal critique is wrapped in slapstick. It's also a cousin to American mockumentaries like "What We Do in the Shadows", but with more existential despair and fewer vampires.
"Forest Monster" is a mess, but a purposeful one. It's less a film and more a middle finger to the paranormal industrial complex, proving that sometimes the scariest thing is a bad actor with a webcam. While its jokes don't always land, its commitment to chaos is admirable. A guilty pleasure for fans of anti-humor and cryptid-themed awkwardness. Best watched with friends and a bottle of vodka.
"The monster didn't roar-it recited Pushkin. Badly."
