Director: Sam M. Bell
Year: 2021
Country: United Kingdom
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Slasher
Plot:
Agreeing to take a camping trip together, a group of friends decides to head off into the woods nearby for a weekend of fun together, but when they realize one of them is missing head off to find him where they encounter a vicious killer hunting them down and must find a way to get away alive.
Review:
There was quite a lot to like with this effort. One of the strongest features here is the incredibly enjoyable setup that takes on the same situation as the original while still offering its own spin on everything. The central idea is the same thing, taking the group of friends on a hike into the woods for a weekend of fun and drinking that gets crashed by the escaped serial killer prowling the woods who begins taking them out offers a great workable setup for this kind of film. The fact that it spends a nice amount of time building a great camaraderie between the group, not quite being completely vicious to each other but relying more on everyday banter and storytelling, being affected by the elements and generally having fun that feels realistic to how a group of friends would really act on this kind of trip together.
On top of that, there are also the rather creepy and chilling slashing scenes that provide quite a bit of fun to this one. Featuring a highly effective setup in the forest that takes on a truly atmospheric take on the woodlands setting as the scenes with the group hiking through the woods offers a rather chilling vibe. That makes the stalking and attacking quite fun, with the double-ambush for the cold open, the attack on the group following the campfire story, and the chilling scenes of the group split up and lost in the woods looking for their missing friend while getting hints that someone is watching them from time-to-time making for a great bit of action here. In addition, the kills here are quite fun as there are multiple stabbings, a victim choked out with decorative wire, a gruesome slit throat, and some eye-gouging that comes off quite bloody and enjoyable in the indie style they're featured in. Combined with the fantastic twist that gives everything a shocking setup and some surprising motivations, there's a lot to like here.
There isn't much to dislike about the film but it does have some minor drawbacks. The main issue is the film's somewhat overlong setup that keeps the fun and stalking to be relegated to the back half of the running time. While generating a lot to like with the groups' friendship and bond in this section, there's not much in the way of action for a long period of time after the cold open to where the group discovers his presence and begins to get knocked off. That the backstory to the killer's connection to the area comes off around the halfway point in the film is a bit of a sign that the pacing is a bit slack and is a bit of a letdown, much like the sightly irritating ability in the last half to think everything is a joke or prank. This factor is original at first but carries on a bit too long to be realistic and makes for a questionable inclusion in the situation, but all these do is only knock this down slightly compared to the rest of the positives.
Overview: ****/5
Featuring quite a lot to like with the great stalking, some fun action, and a genuinely effective sense of atmosphere, this is a highly effective and enjoyable reboot that offers up some likable aspects overall. Give this one a look if you're a fan of the inside style of slasher fare, appreciate the original, or are fans of the creative crew, while only those turned off by the style or approach here which should heed caution.
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