By Melissa Antoinette Garza
Blackwoods is an overlooked worthwhile gem that delivers well, has an excellent cast, interesting characters and remains suspenseful until the last moments.
It begins with Matt (Patrick Muldoon) who decides to go on a road trip with his girlfriend Dawn (Keegan Connor Tracy) to meet her family who reside in the woods of a small town. Subtle but very strange events occur almost immediately. When the happy couple stops by a diner their waitress seems unnerved by their presence. Later on, they rent a room at a shabby motel. Dawn decides to go for a walk and leaves Matt behind. Soon a man with an axe appears outside of his window. Matt is able to attack the man from behind and escapes to tell Greg, the motel employee, but by the time they go back to return the assailant is gone and all that is found is a broken door.
Greg, not satisfied or amused with Matt’s story calls the police and has him arrested. They bring him to the station for questioning where they too seem unimpressed. To gain credibility he tells them he is in town with his girlfriend but when the cops don’t recognize the last name Matt becomes suspicious. After all, in such a small town everyone is known.
When he descends into the dark woods to get answers he finds the house of Dawn’s family. He is taken in and shocked at what he finds.
The movie has an excellent pace. From the beginning, the atmosphere relays that something is going on and that there is more than meets the eye. An unsettling feeling is created and continues throughout. It is obvious that each strange look or confusing moment is a hint of things to come, but the anxiousness invoked makes it difficult to wait for the revelation.
The casting was perfect, especially when considering Greg. Clint Howard’s ability to bring out the uniqueness and interesting facets of the characters he portrays has solidified him as a benefit to any movie lucky to cast him. In Blackwoods, Greg is sleazy, talks about porn, and insults the lead, however due to Howard’s demeanor he remains likable. He’s amusing, and therefore escapes what the role could have easily been – a detestable pervert. It’s too bad he just wasn’t in it more.
Keegan Connor Tracy performed well as Dawn. The role was dualistic in nature and demanded a lot of different and contrasting emotional moments which she pulled off quite well. Finally, Patrick Muldoon is a strong lead. Without Matt’s believability the suspense of the film would have been lost. Being in nearly every scene, it was his burden to keep the tension high in the viewer, and with the help of the setting, he succeeded quite well.
The ending is not a letdown and though it may be an easy task for thriller fans to guess, it was still well thought-out and delivered excellently.
One part American Gothic and one part The Sixth Sense, “Blackwoods” is an excellent addition and not one to miss.
Scared Stiff Rating: 7.5/10
