Set amongst the remote woodlands of Basque Country, Spain, this Spanish-UK collaboration feels like a psychological thriller-adventure drawing inspiration from films such as “Deliverance,” with touches of “The Shuttered Room” and thematic echoes of “Straw Dogs.” The original title, “Forest of Shadows,” is more evocative than the English release's rather bland moniker, “The Backwoods.” Maintaining a sense of realism akin to "Deliverance" proves effective; this contrasts favorably with films like “Wrong Turn," which have become so formulaic they border on comical instead of truly frightening. Gary Oldman, aged 48 during filming, portrays the pragmatic and somewhat grumpy supervisor of Paul, whose role is played by Paddy Considine. Paul has extended an invitation to Norman (and his wife, Virginie Ledoyen) to visit his family’s long-held home deep in the countryside, with the hope of discovering some solace following a past misfortune. However, questionable choices quickly derail any chance of tranquility. The film's length is 1 hour and 37 minutes; it was filmed in Navarra—located just east of Basque Country and near France’s border—in 2006. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB