Film

The Woodsman

Ryan Owen 21/04/2005

Rating: 3/5

The Woodsman is a very understated film which concentrates on the life of an ex-convicted paedophile free to roam society. It plays on the way society deals with paedophiles, and instead of having extreme representations, the film explores the stereotypes of the way people deal with paedophiles, whilst subtly making a statement that extremes are not the only type of people that exist.

Problematically, the film shows Kevin Bacon's paedophilia being treated as a curable disease, but it does show Bacon's difficult plight repressing his sexual urges.

The Woodsman is stylistically bleak alike The Machinist, and uses minimalist Van Sant-type camerawork, whilst using reoccurring mythical themes of Red Riding Hood, and Bacon saving the day. Overall, The Woodsman is a film that puts you in uncomfortable positions at times, but its worth it in the end.