The Woods (2020) User Reviews (115)

Solid Polish mystery based on a book by Harlan Coben

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 15 June 2020]

This six part mystery is centred on Pawel Kopinski, a Warsaw based prosecutor who is forced to revisit a tragic event from his past. A man's body is found and items found with him point to a link to Pawel; at first Pawel doesn't recognise him but then realises he is a friend he last saw at summer camp in 1994. Through a series of flashbacks we learn that one night four teens disappeared from the camp in the woods, including Pawel's sister. Two bodies were found and the others assumed dead till one died as an adult; Pawel must consider the possibility that his sister is still alive. While he is trying to uncover the truth he is also dealing with a rape case where the father of the accused, a prominent journalist, is applying pressure to have the case dropped.

I haven't read the book so I can't say how this compares; I did enjoy it though. The mystery quickly got me hooked and the way the stories played out in two different time lines worked well. The woodland setting of the 1994 storyline was suitably atmospheric; brightly lit by day as the teens enjoy their camp but suitably sinister once darkness falls. Plenty is packed into the six episodes as suspects emerge in each case and blame is pointed at the camp's owner. The cast is impressive, most notably Grzegorz Damiecki as Pawel and Agnieszka Grochowska as Laura Goldsztajn, the owner's daughter in the scenes set in the present and Hubert Milkowski and Wiktoria Filus as the same characters in 1994. The rest of the cast is pretty good too. The various questions are resolved in the final episode; some details the viewer is likely to have figured out while others provide a nice surprise.

These comments are based on watching the series in Polish with English subtitles.

Not what I was expecting!

[malnapierala · 8/10 · 14 June 2020]

I read a book. I also watched two previous Harlan Coben's tv series. Based on previous experience I was expecting something similar to Safe or Stranger. And it is not the same! Not at all!

What I found annoying about Safe and Stranger was the fact that all that middle aged average families live in the houses that most people living in UK won't be able to afford. And here we have Poland. And polish scenery. And public sector worker living in the flat like many other polish people!

I also loved summercamp. I remember going to the ones like the one from The Woods myself.

And series is in very slow pace, what helped to create atmosphere and gave time to reflect on the events, however I can imagine that for many people the show will be boring.

Unexpected pleasure

[nnymphetamine · 8/10 · 13 June 2020]

First of all: I really don't like polish tv series, they're dull, with horrible acting and every actor speaks like having lockjaw, so when I turned "The Woods" I was very cautious and expected turning tv in circa 10 minutes. Well, turned out I watched four episodes at one go and today I finished last two. I loved locations and cinematography, acting is very good, also music is quite good. If you like scandi noir and tartan noir with its slow pace, twists and "nothing as it seems" plots - you'll be delighted as I am.

Bingeable murder/disappearance mystery

[saadgkhan · 6/10 · 13 June 2020]

The Woods - B (Good)

Coming from Poland, I believe show did a good show making it viewable for anyone around the world. The cast as young and older versions match, so their performances makes you care for ark of their characters. With six episodes, I found the show very bingeable. Young Pawel (Hubert Milkowski) and Laura (Wiktoria Filus) performances standout as grieving young lovers with guilt.

I did feel, as there were four stories going at the same time; Past camp murder and disappearance of kids, Past story about his mother, Present rape prosecution case and then Present Police investigation into him in reference to new death made it bit complicated as story's focus keep shifting to all these four elements and the current rape prosecution case ends on very lacklustre result.

If the story focused primary was on past camp mystery and current murder case it would have intensified the series as they should have been the prime focus due to their connection. Overall, the show is a good attempt and doesn't disappoint.

Solid series

[SgtPepper1611 · 7/10 · 15 June 2020]

Some outstanding performances, script can sometimes feel a little slow and muddled but a very intriguing premise that is well executed.

Moody, absorbing, underrated, though lacking a strong final punch

[gridoon2024 · 7/10 · 28 July 2021]

I was drawn into the melancholic mood of this TV mini-series; it was also a refreshing change to listen to Polish for once instead of English or even Spanish or French. The switches between the present (2020) and the past (1994) are well-done; the casting for the same characters in both time periods is spot-on. There is a depth to the relationships that is uncommon for a mystery show; the acting is fine all-around, although the male lead does have an occasional smirk even in situations where it does not seem befitting. The Woods themselves look both beautiful and sinister - like in a fairy tale. What lets the series down a little is that there are no really earth-shattering revelations at the end (spoiler: the convicted person was indeed the cause of it all). *** out of 4.

Successful in mystery, flawed in plot

[Skalidis17 · 6/10 · 13 June 2020]

I don't normally write here. In fact, I don't even master English writing. Therefore, I apologize for any serious mistake. But I felt the need to warn you of what is to come by watching this show. If you like mystery, you may even like the series to some extent. It's the type that holds you in front of the TV, that makes you want to go through episode by episode without stopping for a glass of water. The problem is the holes in the script and the lack of explanations for the events, especially in the final half, when some facts are throw on screen without any basis just to justify later situations. The characters' inexplicable attitudes are frequent and their respective developments are more like patchwork quilts. All of this leads to an ending that leaves more questions than answers. Europe has been producing interesting shows lately. But this is not one of them, although it is far from a horrible show. It is watchable. For those looking for a dose of mystery, it is a good choice. However, those looking for script quality, plausible development and a good pace next to the mystery, stay away.

Use the subtitles

[phantasmagoric-1 · 8/10 · 14 June 2020]

This is an intriguing, twisty, heartfelt drama from the mind of the great Harlan Coben. It's great that he is so focused on opening our eyes to talent across the world, and doesn't assume that the best actors come from America. Make the effort to watch this with the subtitles instead of the English language dub; the dub loses all of the emotion and intonation from the rather wonderful Grzegorz Damiecki, who really brings home the heartache of a man who has lost everyone he loves and is searching for answers.

Missed to be Addictive like its predecessor.

[vrcritique · 7/10 · 16 June 2020]

A popular prosecutor solving his sister's murder back in 1994.

After the success of Harlan Coben's two series based on books "THE SAFE" and "THE STRANGER", He teams up with Netflix for the third tv series based on his book "THE WOODS" which this time in distinct Polish flavor.

Author's books usually starts with a single plot and uncovers more mystery with twists and turns, which was meticulously given in the tv series as well, but in the case of THE WOODS, it missed giving what we saw in the other two accomplishments.

Curtains raise, In 1994, End of the summer in Poland, four kids go missing into the woods, two found dead into the founds some days later and two found was still missing. Twenty-five years later one of the kids Artur found dead and was identified by the protagonist a reputed prosecutor Pawel. Kamila is one of the missing kid who is the beloved sister of Pawel. He sets a course to find what happened to his sister which is leads to twists and turns into the story.

The screenplay will take between 2019 and 1994 as Prosecutor takes his narrative back and forth when he founds out clues which are left to him by a stranger. Later episodes uncovers the one responsible for the murders and, more crucially, the events that actually took place that fateful night of kids gone missing.

As usual, we can correlate author's previous novel with this one, as this one also uncovers more than one mystery, hence each and every episode is important. One thing I really felt great is the translation of an English novel to a European series with the same texture of the atmosphere, characters.

Overall, It is a decent series but it is not a standout one among the creator's other books based novels. But it is good to watch if you like mystery and crime genre.

Confusing and full of plot-holes

[ferreiranazli · 4/10 · 25 June 2021]

This is a slow-burn, set at past and present. An interesting mystery, but highly confusing. Some things weren't explained at all, that's why the ending was disappointing. The pictures were really good, just like the acting, but to me, it wasn't enough to save the show.

Not bad at all.

[drifter_74 · 8/10 · 13 June 2020]

I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to series. If the first few episodes are not spellbinding I'll just give up.

I'm at episode 4 at the moment and I'm still watching, so it can't be bad. Actually I'm quite enjoying it. It's based on a Harlan Coben novel and he also is als the executive producer I believe.

The story gets complicated as it intertwines the disappearance of kids from a summer camp 25 years ago with more recent events. I don't want to give anything away. The acting is solid and the production values are good. I really enjoyed the camera work used during the summer camp scenes.

Word of advice. Don't listen to the English dubbed soundtrack, It is horrible and lifeless. Rather read the subtitles.

Doesn't come together

[ahopefulhobbit · 6/10 · 2 September 2021]

This was a gripping series...until the last episode or two. The plot holes are so large that, frankly, the resolution doesn't make any sense. For example, one character ends up somewhere where they logically could not be.

The pacing also had issues. Way too many long scenes of people staring off into space or kids posing for the camera only to have some important plot detail rushed through as quick as possible.

I hope the book is better because I really can't recommend the show.

It's ok...

[spikeypoet · 5/10 · 6 January 2021]

I'm an avid Harlan Coben fan and avid reader of all of his books. None of the adaptations measure up to the high consistency and quality of the books, but this translation was by far the lowest quality of all adaptations -- it's just so boring and it's not cooked as well as the others. When I saw that it was set in Poland, I was very excited as my girlfriend is Polish and is constantly telling me how beautiful Poland is. The acting in this show was good but the show itself is regrettably not like the book at all -- they made too many changes that made no sense and only served to ruin a perfectly good story. Oh and the obligatory alphabet cult shoehorned homosexuality that is now rammed into everything... if I recall rightly, none of the characters in the book were aggrieved about being outed as gay that it drove them on a course that would eventually lead them to commit murder. Ruined a perfectly good story by deviating too much from it. And why is it set in Poland!!?? It doesn't work set in Poland. It really doesn't. The Boy in The Woods could work set in Poland, but not this.

It's ok, but very boring.

It's fine

[adzikbober · 6/10 · 14 June 2020]

First episode was a bit boring, then it got better - episode 5 was the best. However, I'm disappointed with the ending. I feel like they haven't explained a lot of things- for example why Goldstein killed Arthur? Who was Mingi? Why Camila never came back? Also some of the scenes were too long - like staring for each other for 10 minutes without a word (and it happens in every episode), some scenes were too dark. Good acting though!

Missing details

[jen-tackitt · 6/10 · 14 November 2020]

I read the book and then watched the series.

I get this is "based on" the book but they left out very significant details. It makes the story full of plot holes. Mostly the "why" of so many events.

Why did the guy kill the two teens? Because he was a crazy guy who liked killing and was eventually found guilty of killing 4 other teens in similar fashion years later (in the book).

This is just one example.

If you enjoyed the series, do yourself a favor and read the book.

Pretty good

[gallagherkellie · 6/10 · 12 July 2020]

It was a decent thriller that kept me watching and wanting to know more, a few good twists. But so many unanswered questions that don't make sense! Why would Laura's dad kill Artur? And why did they just throw in the 'gay love affair' scene in there, but Pawel never suspected either of them when everyone first disappeared and never told anyone? And why did Pawel lie and confess to stealing the money to save his sister in law, which means he will now go to jail? Also, how did Ming happen to be friends with Artur, but also be the one screwing over his sister in law?

All in all I did enjoy it, and I would watch a second season.

An OK watch

[jasontrabish · 6/10 · 20 June 2020]

My first reactions to this show are OK. Not the best and not the worst. I did read the source material by Harlan Coben, but that was years ago so I don't remember the plot much.

There is definitely promise in the first episode with amazing cinematography. However, you can easily tell that this isn't a straight forward murder/mystery whodunnit. It's a more complex story than it didn't need to be.

The main plot goes back and forth between 1994 and 2019, and while that can provide insight into how characters feel as teens vs. adults, it almost feels like 2 separate shows. Yes, the 2019 part deals with the main male teen who is now a prosecutor dealing with bodies turning up, but he also deals with a rape case that doesn't really add anything to the plot. That and a few other subplots are too integral and offer far too much screentime.

The acting across the board is alright. Nothing too eye-catching as the actors just do what the script needs them to do in order to further the story. There are way too many things going on in the show for 6 episodes. If there were 8 or 9 episodes, maybe the subplots would've been fleshed out more.

Overall this isn't total junk. The main mystery (when it's unfolding) is pretty interesting, but too many subplots and time jumps derail the momentum far too often.

Ignore the rubbish reviews....Just watch it

[mainak06 · 9/10 · 15 June 2020]

Very unfortunate that this show is so underrated.I didn't go through the original novel but This series is mindblowing.Beginning to end there is suspense and immense thrill.Superlative post production and screenplay.Dont know how this show didn't get a full star(almost).

Good story, rather poor ending..

[grzegorz_smyla · 6/10 · 17 June 2020]

It is yet another Coben's adaptation that despite good storytelling ends up leaving me pretty disappointed.. Good acting especially Damiecki. Very good pictures and the colourist made a very good job indeed. As with almost all Polish movie productions the dialogues are often inaudible, I do not buy 'theory of natural sounding' that tries to explain this shortcoming. Story itself alluring but with some improbabilities, I felt cheated when it came to explaining Goldstein's actions (and reasons)

Slow start - good middle - sloppy ending

[cledakling · 5/10 · 19 July 2020]

The first episode was very slow. I mean how much frolicking teenagers can you take? The pace did pick up with several unexpected but viable twists. I was glad I'd stuck with it. But the ending seemed rushed and the plot holes and dropped storylines made this a disappointment.

If you like this genre, as I do, and like seeing how other countries portray themselves on screen it's not a waste of time. Just don't expect everything to wrap up nicely in the end.

Gripping

[manugw · 8/10 · 14 June 2020]

Good crime story and family drama. The story encompasses two time frames set apart 25 years. The mystery does not get solved till the very last minute. Solid script with good twist and turns. Whodunnit structure

Poor treatment of the sexual assault issue!!!

[wxmanj · 27 June 2020]

It pretty clear Mr. H. Coben's prosecutor character needs a bit more training in how to handle victims of sexual assault. Not a good way to develop a character or write dialogue in 2020. Our current understanding is that no action on the part of the victim (ex. clothing or tattoo choices) is sufficient to provoke any unwanted sexual advance, attack or eventual rape. Shame on him and/or the other writers for their poor treatment of this part of the story!!! Now, I will see where it goes. Will not give a rating at this time.

A good attempt to make a thriller unfortunately marred by implausible plot

[sashairk · 7/10 · 15 August 2020]

I did not read the book, so I don't know whether the implausible plot was designed by the original author or by studio executives. Without delving into details and revealing the 'spoilers' I can only say that I had high expectations at the beginning that turned into disappointment at the end. Many things in the plot including the final ending just do not make sense. However, those who like to watch thrillers without thinking too much about the plot might enjoy this serial.

I missed something?

[babulur · 4/10 · 26 June 2020]

As a fan of mystery, I liked first episodes and It kept my curious alive. Unfortunately finale was disappointing. There are many questions have not answered.

For example ;

Why did young Kamila and Arthur break out?

Pawel thought that his mother abandoned him. Why didn't he look for his mother for years? Furthermore he was prosecutor and he could use his power to find his mother.

Why did Arthur visit Dawid Goldsztajn after years?

Why did Dawid Goldsztajn kill Arthur?

Why did Wojtek Malczak cut Natalie's neck without any reason?

Why Kamila did not try to reach her brother for years?

I mean the plot has contradictions and loopholes. So It could be better.

Not bad and different, could have been a lot better.

[ceasentry · 6/10 · 18 September 2020]

To start with, it's a good, solid story. I actually wanted to give it a 6.5. It's better than just a passing grade, but there are too many issues with it for a mark of 7. I found the acting to be quite good, the subtitles and dubbing, on the other hand, were horrible. In every scene the spoken dialogue and the subtitles were different and in some instances they actually contradicted themselves! Sometimes the spoken dialogue was better, sometimes the subtitles described the scene and emotions more accurately, so I found myself trying to figure out whether I should be listening to the actors or reading the subtitles. I could not do both and found that very frustrating. I also felt that some of the scenes didn't make sense, as if we were not given enough information to know what was going on. Some of the flashbacks were done in such a way that I had a hard time figuring out whether I was watching the present or the past. Another minus is the cinematography. There are a LOT of long, (really) slow scenes (dluzyzny) and it made the whole thing drag. I don't know if this is a new trend in film making, but it's annoying and doesn't add anything to the story. I also thought the setting of the "camp" somewhat strange. I mean, what teenager wants to go to "camp" with their parents??? Who came up with that idea? But in the end, it was enjoyable and different and I'm glad I saw it.