It’s seems that as of late one horror film can’t be made without having a reference from another horror film in it or at least have some hint or sequence that play homage to another horror film. Such is the case with TIMBER FALLS, which takes a lot from horror films like THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (Mainly the remake) and WRONG TURN, but yet it throws in an original plot line that helps make the story different, but plays on screen like the films mentioned above.
TIMBER FALLS is about a young couple who go hiking in the mountains. They plan to only spend two days or so and hike to the top of the biggest mountain in the range. The sheriff of the place gives them some advice on the best trails to take to get to the top, however before they set off on the chosen path; a women tells them the best route (and more scenic) is that of the Timber Falls trail. They decide to take the trail and head off on their journey. However they are in for more than just a nice hike up the mountain when the couple has a run in with a twisted religious family, who hell bent on the word of the bible and wants the couple to get married under their watch and then have sex and reproduce a baby for them, as they can’t reproduce one themselves. When the couple refuses they put them though all kinds of torture and psychological mayhem.
The script is something that we have all seen before, a young couple held captive by a crazy family in the middle of nowhere fighting for their lives. It’s basic, but it works. The character development is actually not half bad, and although the story is not that original except for it’s concept; it’s not that bad either. The film also has some decent production value, decent lighting and shots, and pretty good gore and make-up effects reminiscent of the likes of HOSTEL and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. The acting in the film is not that bad either, although at times I really didn’t buy some of the character’s when they were supposed to be acting frightened. Still the performances weren’t half bad, but they were nothing special either.
TIMBER FALLS is really just another run or the mill killer family in the woods horror film. It’s production value is a lot better than most horror films that have followed the same storyline and the effects do make the film look more realistic and less like a B-movie. TIMBER FALLS was actually made for under three million dollars, yet it did look a lot like a Hollywood production. They used actors that are semi-known or not known at all, they also had a director who has a decent background in filmmaking as well. So in a nutshell even thought the script was far from original, they managed to pull off a decent film on a small budget. It’s not a great movie, but it’s not half bad either. Like I mentioned above, the film does have some a bit of an original storyline, but it does play off of other films ideas; ideas we seen used plenty of time before.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- 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
