As a part of their Halfway to Halloween campaign, horror-centric streaming service Shudder is keeping audiences on their toes with 825 Forest Road. The Stephen Cognetti-directed project premiered on Apr. 4, bringing in mixed reviews in the days since (including a 45% rating on Rotten Tomatoes). The plot focuses on the grieving Wilson family. Chuck (Joe Falcone) is a husband grappling with the death of his mother, who passed away in a car accident. He sets out to relocate to a new town, Ashland Falls, for a fresh start with his wife, Maria (Elizabeth Vermilyea).

As the story builds, Chuck notices that his sister Isabelle (Kathryn Miller) is also struggling with their mother’s passing and invites her to join them, which she agrees to. 825 Forest Road focuses on their unique points of view as they settle into the seemingly peaceful town. However, the trio soon realizes that their tranquil escape is actually a haunted purgatory.

Chuck and Maria’s New Beginning Takes a Twisted Turn

Chuck and Maria are somewhat suspicious of the unbelievably cheap price of the home but decide the offer is too good to pass up. Shortly after their move-in, the energy in the residence takes a turn. Isabelle seems to be an easy target for the spirit in the home, whom viewers eventually learn is a deceased woman named Helen Foster. 

Isabelle’s fragile mental state and guilt over the fatal car crash attract Helen’s evil. The tormented woman is haunted in her dreams, with Helen even manifesting as the ghost of Chuck and Isabelle’s mother. This only fuels her regret and feelings of being responsible for the accident. Despite Chuck trying to reassure Isabelle that she is not at fault, the ghosts say otherwise. Maria is also affected by Helen’s spirit. Having previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, she is stable until the vicious entity possesses her. She then begins exhibiting erratic behavior, which concerns Chuck. 

The Truth About Helen Comes Out

Before long, a neighbor reveals that Helen haunts the residents after committing suicide. This came following the death of her daughter, who also took her life due to severe bullying. During their talk, the neighbor encouraged Chuck and his family to connect with The Friends of Gardening, a group dedicated to eradicating the ghost once and for all. 

Through research at a local library, Chuck learns that Helen once resided at 825 Forest Road in the 1940s. At the time, she desperately tried to help her daughter, Mary, by writing the school and the parents of her bullies, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the young girl’s demons. In her grief, Helen killed the bully, and his family before shooting herself. After the massacre, the entire road map of Ashland Falls was altered, seemingly to erase the troubled moment in its history. Therefore, Helen’s previous home could not be located. The Friends of Gardening do their best to get rid of the curse placed on the town by Helen after a mission to burn down her old house years prior was foiled when Helen murdered those involved in the planning. 

‘825 Forest Road’ Ending Explained

Chuck and Isabelle finally pinpoint the site of 825 Forest Road with the help of Isabelle’s classmate, Luke, setting out on a mission to finally end the curse. Upon arriving, Chuck and his sister find a crumbling home with the deadly ghost’s presence that can be felt throughout. They continue to search the property, where they find old letters written by Helen to the family of the bully. 

As Clark reads Helen’s words, he soon realizes that they have gotten things all wrong. 825 Forest Road was actually the home of the bully and his family. Furthermore, the home he moved his family into was the true residence of Helen. Chuck realizes this is the true reason his family has been plagued by terrifying incidences. At this moment, Isabelle is grabbed by an unseen force, who drags her backward. He desperately tries to save his sibling, though the force overpowers them both, pulling them into the shadows as their screams bounce off the walls inside the house. Their ultimate fate remains unknown. 

Meanwhile, Maria’s separate storyline runs parallel with this scene. While Chuck and Isabelle are presumably deceased at 825 Forest Road, Maria is seen in the final scene speaking about her family’s experiences in the haunted house to a group. Luke and the people who sold the family the home are both present. While speaking, Maria’s nose begins to bleed and her voice changes. Luke asks if she is okay, causing her to snap in a violent outburst, seemingly proving that Helen has possessed her once more. What happens next is not exactly made crystal clear, though it can be assumed that Maria killed everyone in the room. With the storyline having loose ends, there is room for a sequel, though no plans have been announced for one at the time of this publication.

825 Forest Road can be streamed on Sling TV, AMC+, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV and Philo.