In The Shortcut, Derek is a high school student who has just moved to a new town with his family. He quickly becomes friends with his neighbor, Mark (Josh Emerson), and his crush, Lisa (Shannon Woodward).
One day, Derek discovers a shortcut through the woods that shaves a considerable amount of time off his walk to school. But when he mentions it to Mark, he warns him about a crazy old man who lives in a rundown shack near the path. Mark tells him that the old man once abducted a group of teens who were never seen again.
But Derek is not deterred, and together with Mark, Lisa, and a few other friends, they decide to investigate the legend and find out what really happened. They venture into the woods, armed with flashlights and bravado, determined to prove that the old man's supposed crimes are nothing but urban legends.
As they make their way deeper into the woods, strange things begin to happen. They stumble upon strange symbols etched in the trees, hear eerie sounds in the distance, and eventually come face to face with the old man himself.
What follows is a nightmarish descent into madness and terror as Derek and his friends uncover the dark secret that lies buried deep in the woods. The Shortcut is a suspenseful horror film that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.