Blackwoods

BLACKWOODS

Rating: A

Plays like a good Twilight Zone episode.

Patrick Muldoon (remember him from Starship Troopers?) and girlfriend Keegan Connor Tracy go off on a weekend jaunt in the Canadian countryside, ostensibly so he can meet her parents for the first time. Seems the relationship is getting serious. Along the way, the two stop for a bite to eat, and then check into a motel for some hot nooky. But all the while, Muldoon can't shake a nagging feeling something isn't quite right. Maybe it's the funny look the waitress gave him at the diner. Maybe it's the town sheriff's belief that he's seen Muldoon before. Or maybe it's the weird motel manager. (Granted, all motel managers are weird, but this guy elevates weirdness to an art form.) Then his girlfriend disappears. And some creepy guy with an axe keeps breaking into his motel room.

You'll have to put up with occasional symptoms of a modest budget (the sound in particular is sub-par in spots), but Blackwoods makes the most of what it has to become a neat psychological thriller. Don't worry about that guy with the axe - there's no gore, and this certainly ain't no slasher flick. Instead, you'll be drawn into Muldoon's growing confusion as he frantically tries to piece together exactly what's going on around him. If you were a fan of the old Twilight Zone series, this movie should bring back fond memories.

Aside from some mediocre performances in one or two minor roles, the acting is quite good. Muldoon's character requires a much wider range of emotion than his previous roles have called for, and he passes the challenge with flying colors. Also, Clint Howard's motel manager almost steals the show. He's odd, but just recognizably normal enough to be unsettling.

The film's final scenes, and particularly its final revelation, are greatly enhanced by the soulful singing of Charlemaine on the soundtrack. It's the type of "magic moment" which few films ever manage to hit, but when they do it sticks in your memory.

Because this film is in very limited distribution, you probably haven't seen the theatrical trailer. Neither had I, which is fortunate, since I just viewed it online and found out it gives away the entire story, plot twists and all. If you intend to see this movie, avoid seeing the trailer at all costs. It's pretty sad when you have to say that.