A man from Philadelphia (Stephen Moyer) decides to take his wife and two children on a primitive camping trip in the Pine Barrens, located north of Atlantic City, prompting speculation about whether the legend of the Jersey Devil might be real. “The Barrens” (2012) falls into the creature feature category alongside films like “Wendigo” (2001), “13th Child,” and “Mothman” (2010). While another film, “Dark Haul,” is a better version of the Jersey Devil story, this one offers a more traditional approach to the subject. It’s the second-best I've encountered of the five movies I’ve watched that feature the cryptid; "13th Child" would be my third choice, followed by the Syfy movie “Carny” and the film “The Reeds,” which had a very limited budget. Elements from “The Amityville Horror” and “The Blair Witch Project,” such as what occurs to one of the main characters, are incorporated into the story. Allie MacDonald stands out in her role as daughter Sadie, and Mia Kirshner is perfectly fine as the wife. Writer/director Darren Lynn Bousman initially planned to film on location in the actual Pine Barrens but opted for Ontario due to budget constraints. Despite the limited funds, he managed to create a creepy atmosphere within the strange woods, which was enhanced by an effective musical score with echoes of Coppola’s “Apocalypse Now.” The movie does lose its way somewhat as it transitions from the second act into the final one, but there's enough that works well to suggest it to viewers who enjoyed the films mentioned earlier. I would certainly prefer watching this over “The Blair Witch Project.” Don’t leave until after the credits; the post-credits scenes help explain what happened at the end. It has a running time of 1 hour, 35 minutes and was filmed in Rockwood Conservation Area and Albion Hills Conservation Park, both located about thirty minutes west and northwest of Toronto. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB