Summer Scars review

Teen horror in the woods...

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A bare-boned tween nightmare, director Julian Richards’ (The Last Horror Movie) rough-hewn latest will likely be branded a Stand By Me/Eden Lake mash-up. But it’s more of a trim, chavvy Deliverance, if it’s comparisons you’re after.

Kevin Howarth takes the lead as a greasy, potentially disturbed drifter who collars a group of kids in the woods and forces them to participate in a series of mindfuck games.

Despite the snappy running time, Scars is occasionally unfocused – until its fiercely sadistic final 20 minutes, which coil the uneasy mood into something unexpectedly distressing.

Prepare to squirm in your seat.

Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.