Every once in a while we manage to get a film that was made in another country that gets a direct to DVD release here in the United States that is well worth the time to watch. While I’m not going on record as saying Backwoods is a superior direct to DVD film it is one that is full of suspense and leaves you feeling uneasy from the get go. Backwoods is however more of a thriller than a horror film, but still it deserves credit for the film that it is.
Backwoods starts off with two couples who are traveling to a remote house in the woods of Northern Spain. All is well when they arrive and the two men, Paul (Gary Oldman) and Norman ( Paddy Considine) go out hunting in the woods. While hunting they stumble across a hut in the woods where they find a young girl inside. The girl is chained up like a dog. Paul and Norman release the girl and bring her back to their house, where their wives are. Together they try to travel into town to get help for the girl, but have car trouble along the way. They decide to go back to the house, where early in the morning there is a knock at the door. Paul finds that there are four men who are looking for the girl. Paul knows that these are the men who have left her in the woods, and are treating her like an animal. Know he must try to lead the men away from the house so that his friend can go and get some help. Little do they know that their vacation will now become a game of survival, and they will find themselves trying to fight for their lives.
The script for this film is actually very well written, it does start off a little slow but quickly picks up. This is a film that was made in Spain, and France, the script was written in two different dialects so we get a mixture of English and Spanish dialogue, of which is decently written. Gary Oldman swear a lot as well. It’s a pretty well rounded script with some great tense moments and some great suspenseful sequences.
The acting in the film is very good, not only does Gary Oldman give a great and powerful performance but he has a great supporting cast backing him up. Spanish director Koldo Serra does a great job as well with his directing and also deserves credit as well. The films production value is pretty decent, although the film seems like it was shot mainly on location, the lighting and scenery gives this film its suspenseful feel. There is really not much in terms of over the top special effects but we do get plenty of blood and some scenes that involve some gruesome gun shots. Overall the production value of Backwoods is very solid.
Backwoods is one of those rare direct to DVD gems that’s not the greatest of films when compared to the likes of others with a similar plot, but for a small budget film it does the job and presents us with an eventful thriller that’s full of plenty of mystery and suspense. It’s well worth renting if you feel like watch a film where the plot is not so predictable and will keep you guessing to the very end.
– Horror Bob
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- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
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- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
