I've got a weak spot for hicksploitation thrillers about demented crackers hunting humans out in the sticks for fun. Here's an interesting Spanish made variant of the formula with a few interesting twists and an appropriately somber, amoral ending. Because it's a Spanish made production that dwells on the tragedy of the story it's not quite the guilty pleasure fun of the classic OPEN SEASON (1974), lacks the poignancy of DELIVERANCE (1972), and doesn't come close to the barbarity of STRAW DOGS (1971), which are the films it is most obviously patterned to resemble. If you are looking for a contemporary film that homages those, look no further.
I checked the spoiler warning just so I could complain about one element of the story, though I will leave it as a surprise for those who do choose to seek this movie out -- which I do recommend. But there's one scene where a major character resigns himself to an unwholesome fate and the direction sets it up to suggest that he manages to escape it somehow. Which turns out not to be the case, making the moment into a fake red herring of sorts: If you are going to set up a surprise ending, why fake the audience out and not spring the surprise?
The film's premise is solid: A group of Anglo tourists travel back to Gary Oldman's family estate in the outbacks of Spain, two couples that is and naturally both of the women are attractive. They stop at a local pub long enough to rip off the scene from STRAW DOGS about American cigarettes, and then move into their hunting cabin, constructed by a set designer who had studied OPEN SEASON for hints on how to dress the set. The men then set off on a hunting expedition inspired by DELIVERANCE, and quite by accident stumble upon a most disturbing surprise, a young girl apparently kept captive in sub-human conditions, and debate whether to take her to the authorities.
They take the waif home & clean her up, then the next morning the local Spanish hicks show up, armed to the teeth, and ask if they have come across a young girl who has gone missing. Interesting. There's a lot of melodrama about the couples being somewhat dysfunctional and some appropriate machismo posturing, and before you know it the two groups are waging war in the forests. Which includes an obligatory home invasion sequence that was particularly distasteful as it objectified one of the women in a way that was profoundly creepy by keeping her half clothed & sort of inviting the mind to fill in the rest. Either the director was trying to keep it classy & misfired, or he's even more twisted than one might think.
What the film has going for it is the unique Spanish scenery and a non-conformity to formula. The ending is anything but what you'll be expecting no matter how many of these "humans hunting humans" things you may have seen. It's also exceedingly well made with some interesting musical contributions by Leonard Cohen, who is apparently quite popular in Spain, and some impressive widescreen cinematography that alludes to various Spaghetti Westerns at times. The main gripe I have with the flick is that it lacks a sense of humor or the sly wit that gives OPEN SEASON especially it's legendary status as a cult favorite. THE BACKWOODS is merely twisted + emotionally devastating by comparison, and while there's nothing wrong with that it's probably going to be one of those films you should see once but probably won't need your own copy of, because it's such a total downer. A good downer though, and for fans of Gary Oldman a must see.
6/10
I checked the spoiler warning just so I could complain about one element of the story, though I will leave it as a surprise for those who do choose to seek this movie out -- which I do recommend. But there's one scene where a major character resigns himself to an unwholesome fate and the direction sets it up to suggest that he manages to escape it somehow. Which turns out not to be the case, making the moment into a fake red herring of sorts: If you are going to set up a surprise ending, why fake the audience out and not spring the surprise?
The film's premise is solid: A group of Anglo tourists travel back to Gary Oldman's family estate in the outbacks of Spain, two couples that is and naturally both of the women are attractive. They stop at a local pub long enough to rip off the scene from STRAW DOGS about American cigarettes, and then move into their hunting cabin, constructed by a set designer who had studied OPEN SEASON for hints on how to dress the set. The men then set off on a hunting expedition inspired by DELIVERANCE, and quite by accident stumble upon a most disturbing surprise, a young girl apparently kept captive in sub-human conditions, and debate whether to take her to the authorities.
They take the waif home & clean her up, then the next morning the local Spanish hicks show up, armed to the teeth, and ask if they have come across a young girl who has gone missing. Interesting. There's a lot of melodrama about the couples being somewhat dysfunctional and some appropriate machismo posturing, and before you know it the two groups are waging war in the forests. Which includes an obligatory home invasion sequence that was particularly distasteful as it objectified one of the women in a way that was profoundly creepy by keeping her half clothed & sort of inviting the mind to fill in the rest. Either the director was trying to keep it classy & misfired, or he's even more twisted than one might think.
What the film has going for it is the unique Spanish scenery and a non-conformity to formula. The ending is anything but what you'll be expecting no matter how many of these "humans hunting humans" things you may have seen. It's also exceedingly well made with some interesting musical contributions by Leonard Cohen, who is apparently quite popular in Spain, and some impressive widescreen cinematography that alludes to various Spaghetti Westerns at times. The main gripe I have with the flick is that it lacks a sense of humor or the sly wit that gives OPEN SEASON especially it's legendary status as a cult favorite. THE BACKWOODS is merely twisted + emotionally devastating by comparison, and while there's nothing wrong with that it's probably going to be one of those films you should see once but probably won't need your own copy of, because it's such a total downer. A good downer though, and for fans of Gary Oldman a must see.
6/10