If variety is the spice of life, then BACKWOODS is as bland as a bar of soap. Even though I wasn't born there, I will always consider Indiana my home state because I spent most of my childhood there. However, in all my years there, I never once heard mention of a movie that was made there, BACKWOODS. After watching it, I can see why.

Jamie and Karen are a couple who bike into the woods to go camping. However, when they awake, they find a young girl choking and her father standing above her holding a shotgun. Jamie, being a doctor, rescues her and gets invited to the family homestead (a small house) out of gratitude. However, it turns out the family has a son named William who is a bit nutty. Well, Karen reminds William of his mother, which causes him to go on a homicidal rampage as he kills anyone who gets between the two. Will anyone survive the night? 

I'm usually not the biggest fan of the backwoods slashers, but a few have managed to stand out, like JUST BEFORE DAWN, HUNTER'S BLOOD, and RITUALS. BACKWOODS is a crowning example of why I try to avoid this type of slasher. Okay, so the acting is definitely really good, it does manage to build up some atmosphere, and the characters were somewhat likable. Actually, those three things are responsible for one of the stars I've awarded this movie. The other two are for a decent chase, a cool death to the killer, and an nicely ominous ending.

Now onto what happened to the seven stars absent. The major complaint I have with this movie is how mind-numbingly, unbelievably BORING it is. Absolutely NOTHING happens for the first hour or so. The couple bike around, they talk with the forest ranger, they have dinner with the pa, Jamie and Pa go 'coon hunting, etc. Even when we ARE introduced to William, he really does nothing but peek in the windows at Karen. FINALLY he goes on a rampage with a half hour to spare. And when that happens, it's still boring because we've seen it all before, and there are more than thirty other flicks that do it a lot better than BACKWOODS.

Aside from the rare spurt of entertainment, BACKWOODS should be chopped up for firewood. There are no interesting plot twists, no interesting characters, almost no interesting kills (the last one is alright), no memorable gore, no nothing. That's atrocious, BACKWOODS. Indiana should be ashamed.

The horror genre features stories that aim to elicit fear, suspense, and a sense of dread in its audience. Horror stories often explore themes related to the unknown, the supernatural, and the macabre, and they frequently evoke strong emotional reactions such as anxiety, terror, and unease.

The thriller genre features suspense, tension, and excitement. These stories are known for keeping audiences on the edge of their seats and delivering intense emotional experiences by revolving around high-stakes situations, dangerous conflicts, and the constant anticipation of unexpected events.

A hillbilly father and his idiot son terrorize and murder campers.

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