Canadian survival Thriller Backcountry was released March 20, 2015 in the US through Fella Films, after first being shown at the Toronto Film Festival on September 8, 2014. The film stars Nicholas Campbell (DaVinci’s Inquest TV series, Cinderella Man 2005) and Eric Balfour (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003, 24 TV series), who have both starred in SyFy’s Haven, along with Missy Peregrym (Reaper TV series, Rookie Blue TV series) and Jeff Roop (Vampire High TV series, Jekyll & Hyde 2006). Actor Adam MacDonald made his big screen directorial and screenplay debut with Backcountry, using past co-stars Peregrym from Rookie Blue and Roop from Jekyll & Hyde and Vampire High as his main cast members. Filmed in British Columbia and Ontario, Canada, the film was produced by Thomas Michael (Y B Normal? TV series, Hank and Mike 2008), while the music was composed by Frères Lumières, also a big screen debut, and the special effects were handled by David Scott (Wrong Turn 2003, Dawn Of The Dead 2004).
- Still from Backcountry
City lawyer Jenn (Missy Peregrym) lets her nature loving boyfriend Alex (Jeff Roop) convince her to go on a camping trip deep in the Canadian Bookaazo Provincial Park to Blackfoot Trail, where Alex had hiked many times before. Being a pro, he insists that he does not need a trail map from the park’s forest ranger (Campbell) and rolls his eyes at Jenn’s insistence at bringing a road flare and bear spray. He also refuses to heed the ranger’s warning about going to the temporarily closed Blackfoot Trail. As they make their way through the woods and stop to camp on their first night, they are interrupted by a rude, off-putting, racist trail guide named Brad (Balfour). Making his attraction to Jenn obvious, he literally pisses on their firewood and steals a pair of Jenn’s panties before trudging off down the trail.
- Still from Backcountry
They think they are finally rid of him and settle in to the tent for the night. After that, strange things begin to happen. During the second night, their tent is pelted by things that sound much bigger than acorns, Alex’s bloody socks are found hanging in a tree and a four inch sapling behind their campsite is found to be cracked in half by a mysterious, powerful force. Alex insists on pushing on. As the couple wander the woods and Alex’s frustration builds at not finding his beloved Blackfoot Trail, they begin to wonder if they are being followed. The Alpha male Brad seems like the most obvious choice, but could it be someone – or something – they had yet to consider?
- Still from Backcountry
Like the ski resort Thriller Frozen (2010), and psychopathic hillbilly-driven Deliverance (1972), Backcountry is a reminder that, outside the protected walls of cities and without the failsafe technological crutch society depends on, humans are unpracticed, unprepared, and full of a hubris they do not deserve. Rotten Tomatoes gives Backcountry an amazing 90% fresh score, and The Hollywood Reporter wrote, “(MacDonald and cinematographer Christian Bielz’s) rendition of the climactic scenes that force Jenn into a race for survival are impressively and disconcertingly realistic in their ferocity, which may even convince some outdoor recreationists who see the film to reconsider the riskiness of their pursuits.” This movie is an excellent choice for those who love a good, slow burn, and some grizzly special effects. CrypticRock gives Backcountry 3 out of 5 stars.
- IFC Midnight
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