The Backwoods (2006/Lionsgate DVD)
Picture: C Sound: C+ Extras: D Film: C
Two
couples go to Spain to a small remote place in the Summer of 1978. As soon as I read that, I knew that despite
Gary Oldman being the star, Koldo Serra’s The
Backwoods (2006) was likely going to be a disaster. Hardly heard about, released later than usual
on DVD and with limited promotion if that, what was Oldman doing in what
sounded like yet another film that wanted to recycle a small handful of
low-budget 70s Slasher flicks that get recycled literally a few times a week.
Then
there is the location, which would require limited sets and set-ups, all so the
makers could shoot in the imagined title location where it is free! They instead spend their money on gore effects
and Oldman. This one wants to be
Deliverance (reviewed elsewhere on this site) and some other exploitation films
as the male members of the group goes off and discovers a chained, sick girl
who has been degraded to animal levels.
Then, surprise, the town wants this kept secret and they are
expendable. Fortunately for us, so is
this DVD. Skip it unless you are an
Oldman completist.
The
anamorphically enhanced 2.35 X 1 image may have some good color, but definition
and detail are poor with a secondary transfer for sure. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is marginally
better than the 2.0 Dolby and the mix is mixed.
There are no extras except trailers for other Lionsgate releases.
- Nicholas Sheffo
