Inept attempt at psychological horror that fails to deliver on all fronts. It's so dull it doesn't even approach "so bad it's good" territory, which at least might have made it a passably entertaining watch. Co-writer and director Lucas Pavetto is probably Italian (I don't care enough to confirm this) -- the film was shot in Italy but doesn't seem to be set anywhere in particular. The dialogue sounds as if it was written by someone who's first language is not English, but that's the language the characters speak, with a bewildering array of accents. The most impressive thing about this film is that they didn't manage to cast even two people who sound like they might be from the same country, let alone the same region.
Bret Roberts and Gabriella Wright, as a couple trying to rebuild their relationship after a miscarriage by having a weekend getaway at the proverbial cabin in the woods, look and act like two models on a camping trip photo shoot for an outdoor lifestyle catalog. I don't envy them having to get through the stilted dialogue, but neither are remotely compelling or believable, with Roberts in particular giving some pretty cringe-worthy line readings. That's a huge problem considering that much of the run time is devoted to them.
Pavetto's idea of building tension consists of throwing in lots of distance shots that make it appear someone might be tracking a character, an annoying array of spooky music cues and sound effects, and the occasional attempt at jump scares. All of these things, when employed in service of a story that is genuinely building tension, could be effective -- here, they just serve to emphasize the degree to which nothing interesting is happening on screen. There's a twist ending most people will probably see coming a mile off, if anyone manages to make it that far.
For a far superior, more suspenseful and psychologically penetrating look at a couple breaking down in the wilderness, check out "Backcountry."
Bret Roberts and Gabriella Wright, as a couple trying to rebuild their relationship after a miscarriage by having a weekend getaway at the proverbial cabin in the woods, look and act like two models on a camping trip photo shoot for an outdoor lifestyle catalog. I don't envy them having to get through the stilted dialogue, but neither are remotely compelling or believable, with Roberts in particular giving some pretty cringe-worthy line readings. That's a huge problem considering that much of the run time is devoted to them.
Pavetto's idea of building tension consists of throwing in lots of distance shots that make it appear someone might be tracking a character, an annoying array of spooky music cues and sound effects, and the occasional attempt at jump scares. All of these things, when employed in service of a story that is genuinely building tension, could be effective -- here, they just serve to emphasize the degree to which nothing interesting is happening on screen. There's a twist ending most people will probably see coming a mile off, if anyone manages to make it that far.
For a far superior, more suspenseful and psychologically penetrating look at a couple breaking down in the wilderness, check out "Backcountry."