Writer: Alan B McElroy (Screenplay)
Starring: Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jeremy Sisto, Kevin Zegers, Lindy Booth, Julian Richings
Plot: Six people find themselves trapped in the woods of West Virginia, hunted down by “cannibalistic mountain men grossly disfigured through generations of in-breeding.”
Verdict: Still Want to go to the Woods?
Story: We start by seeing two students being taken from the rock climbing exercise followed by the news clippings of all the disappearance over the years. This makes the backstory of the cannibals complete. We then get to follow one of our heroes as he is desperately trying to make his way across country for a big interview, before crashing into five friends who have had a tire blowout. The group split up to try and find help but soon find themselves the latest targets of the cannibals.
When this first hit the screens the genre of cannibals was nowhere to be seen, this put everything back on the map. Though the story is very much the same as the whole stuck in the woods idea of previous times. We do get to see the survival attempts mixed in with the fight against an enemy they didn’t expect to go up against. It is good that we don’t get any silly horror mistakes, with the group trying to stay together; it is also good that we don’t see too much detail about how long everything had been going on, though I would have liked to have seen some potential warning ignored by the groups. In the end it is a solid horror story that never really challenges the audience. (7/10)
Actor Review
Desmond Harrington: Chris on his way to a big interview when he gets caught up in traffic, he tries to find a back road but ends up crashing into the other group of people. He has to work with these people to find help but ends up join forces fighting to survive. Desmond gives a solid performance as the leading horror man. (7/10)
Eliza Dushku: Jessie our leading lady who is on the trip with her friends because she has broken up with her boyfriend. She looks out for her friends but if left helpless to help any of them against the cannibals. Eliza does a good job in the leading lady role putting up a fight when she needed too. (7/10)
Support Cast: With the support cast comprising of the disposable friends and the cannibals themselves, each member does a good job to help keep the story rolling.
Director Review: Rob Schmidt – Solid direction to bring the cannibal genre back into the modern horror world. (7/10)
Horror: Not holding back on the kills as well as showing what the cannibals do with their victim’s works very well for horror levels. (8/10)
Thriller: You do end up getting near the edge of your seat wondering who will make it. (8/10)
Settings: The settings are used very well to create isolation without the completely trapped side for the story. (10/10)
Special Effects: Good effects used to create the kills and what the cannibals do. (9/10)
Suggestion: This is one for the horror fans out there, they will all enjoy this one. (Horror Fans Watch)
Best Part: The group escaping the house.
Worst Part: The supporting friends are too disposable.
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: Start of a franchise
Post Credits Scene: Near the beginning of the credits there is one.
Oscar Chances: No
Box Office: $15.4 Million
Budget: $12.6 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 24 Minutes
Tagline: It’s the last one you’ll ever take
Trivia: Desmond Harrington broke his ankle and Emmanuelle Chriqui dislocated her shoulder making this film.
Overall: If you go down to the woods today, you will become their breakfast
Rating