Slow burn cabin-in-the-woods in the wintry Northeast
Shot in the first half of 2010, this is a slasher indie that uses the template of “Friday the 13” meshed with the mounting paranoia of a small group of people in the woods à la “The Blair Witch Project,” minus the found footage angle.
The fact that it only cost $15,000 is amazing since the filmmaking is proficient, including the acting of the no-name cast. It does a good job of fleshing out the characters with lots of organic dialogues, albeit totally mundane in the first half. I liked the isolated snowy milieu centered around the rustic vacation home, as well as the increasingly personal perspective (I’m talking about camera shots artistically closing-in on individuals as the story progresses).
Brunette Alyssa Mann (Claire) and blonde Elizabeth Drake (Ellie) are highlights on the feminine front, although the director could improve his photography of women. Samantha Cooper (Lisa) is also on hand.
There are a couple of “Yeah, right” bits, such as the five vacationers not noticing a car parked at the cabin the night before, as well as Doug & Ellie’s ridiculous day-long hike that the other three fail to note with concern until well after nightfall. Nevertheless, the flick has the confidence to take its time (which strikes some as boring tedium) and establishes quality mood in the remote wilderness with an increasing sense of horror.
It runs 1 hour, 50 minutes, and was shot mostly at a cabin in South Kortright, New York, which is located in the Catskills 155 miles (by car) northwest of Manhattan and 77 miles (by car) southwest of Albany.
GRADE: B-
