Backcountry - Blu-ray

Movie: It was supposed to be the perfect romantic weekend that Alex (Jeff Roop) had planned for himself and his girlfriend Jenn (Missy Peregrym). At a lake in the middle of a sprawling national park, with which he connects many fond childhood memories, he wants to propose to his Jenn. But already on the first night the young happiness is disturbed by the mysterious Brad (Eric Balfour). And the next day things don't look much better. For Alex, who was so sure of finding the lake again that he left his map and mobile phone in the car, has to admit to himself that they have lost their way. And to make the disaster perfect, there also seems to be a dangerous black bear in their vicinity. Now it's not just about finding their way back. Now it's a matter of naked survival...

With Backcountry, actor Adam MacDonald delivers a thrilling feature film debut as a director. He uses atmospheric imagery to tell a classic survival story inspired by true events. True, the characters are drawn very stereotypically and their behavior borders on sheer stupidity in some moments, typical of the genre. However, just like the only partly convincing effects during the bear attack, this doesn't change much about the high suspense content of the movie. The gripping mood of the production, but also the convincing actors are responsible for that. Missy Peregrym in particular, who has starred alongside MacDonald on and off for several years on Rookie Blue, is convincing as a young woman from the big city who must rise above herself in the wilderness.

Even given the fact that the script confronted them with some clichés and not particularly profound dialogue, Peregrym and her two male co-stars do very well. The slightly too-long scene where Jenn and Alex meet Brad may not, strictly speaking, be particularly important to the story. But on reflection, this part of the film is very cleverly placed, as the viewer is suggested a threat here, which distracts from the real danger first.

Backcountry has succeeded despite a rather low budget and conventionally knit dramaturgy a very exciting and especially in the last third rousing thriller in front of imposing natural scenery. If you like movies like On a Razor's Edge or On the Wild River, you can safely risk a look here. And so the bottom line is an absolutely convinced: worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The image of the DVD captures the beautifully raw atmosphere of the Canadian wilderness with a good detail sharpness and a coherent color scheme very well. In the darker scenes, there is visible lag and some minor blurring during faster camera movements. In the bright shots, on the other hand, there's little to complain about. Overall, the sound is mixed rather restrained, but especially during the bear attacks or those scenes playing along a river, an atmospheric surround feeling is pleasantly noticeable. Good!

Extras: As a bonus, there is unfortunately only the trailer and other program tips from the provider.

Conclusion: Backcountry is a gripping survival thriller, which consoles with good actors and a moody basic atmosphere over some script weaknesses. If you're simply looking for entertaining suspense cinema set against a fascinating natural backdrop, this disc will serve you well - even if there is no bonus material worth mentioning. The technical realization can fully convince apart from a few small weak points, which is why there is also a clear conclusion in the end: Recommendable

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp