Backwoods (2008 TV Movie)
5/10
Again?
4 December 2008
While camping in Jasper Park up North California, the couple Tom Alan Smithee and Gwen Marie Holden (Willow Geer) are attacked by a group of strangers; Tom is immediately killed and Gwen is abducted by the men to an underground facility to breed. A couple of months later, in Los Angeles, the manager of a video game company Johnny Dash (Craig Zimmerman) invites the employees Adam Benson (Ryan Merriman), Lee (Haylie Duff), Maggie (Mimi Michaels), Perry (Danny Nucci), Chris Basso (Troy Winbush), Paul (Jonathan Slavin) and Mike Chen to participate of a Battle Royal with paint-ball in a corporate retreat in the Jasper Park to practice executive tactics. When they arrive in a gas station owned by weird rednecks, they refuel their trucks and see a poster telling that Gwen and Tom are missing since 30 February 2008 and have been last seen in Jasper Park. They head to a former military reservation area in the national park and camp. During the night, Adam has the sensation that the group is under observation and he unsuccessfully warns his colleagues. When the game starts on the next morning, the group finds that their training is more than a paint-ball game, but a fight for survival in a hostile ground whose inhabitants are maniac lunatics.

"Backwoods" is not a bad movie, meaning that the acting, direction and effects are decent. However, there is a total lack of originality in the story, which is a rip-off or remake of "The Hills Have Eyes", "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "Wrong Turn", "Timber Falls" and others less famous movies. The character Perry is extremely stupid to be considered a "top-executive", and I could not see how this stupid game could improve "executive tactics". I could understand if the isolation could improve teamwork increasing friendship, but what we see is the leader shagging one employee and great rivalry and competition among coworkers. The unusual 7 shots revolver does exist; therefore, the seven shots of Adam Benson is not a mistake. The date on the poster (30 February 2008) is a big joke, The open end is scary since it seems to indicate a possible sequel. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "O Bosque" ("The Bush")
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