Wilderness (2006)

Juvenile delinquents gets sent to a small British island after a fellow prisoners death, where they have to fight for survival.

Director:

M.J. Bassett (as Michael J. Bassett)

Writer:

Dario Poloni

Stars:

Sean Pertwee, Alex Reid, Toby Kebbell

Cast

Cast overview:
Sean Pertwee	...	Jed
Alex Reid	...	Louise
Toby Kebbell	...	Callum
Stephen Wight	...	Steve
Luke Neal	...	Lewis
Ben McKay	...	Lindsay
Lenora Crichlow	...	Mandy
Karly Greene	...	Jo
Adam Deacon	...	Blue
Richie Campbell	...	Jethro
Stephen Don	...	Dave's Father
John Travers	...	Dave
George Shane	...	Governor
Gordon Fulton	...	Boat's Captain
John Rea	...	Counsellor John

Storyline

In a juvenile detention center, the inmate Dave commits suicide after being abused with his friend Lindsay by the sociopath bullies Steve and Lewis under the indifference of the other cell-mates. The governor sends them to an uninhabited island to improve their relationships and characters under the command of the tough monitor Jed. They meet another camping with female delinquents under the command of veteran soldier Louise and they camp in another area. However, when they are attacked by a pack of dogs and a mysterious man with a cross-bow wearing camouflage, they join forces fighting to survive under the leadership of Callum.

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Plot Keywords:

island | survival | bully | juvenile detention | prisoner | 

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Taglines:

It's not about revenge. It's about punishment.

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Genres:

Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and gore, language and a scene of sexuality

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 August 2006 (UK)

Also Known As:

A vadász

Box Office

Budget:

£3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Momentum Pictures,Baker Street,Ecosse Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Callum is chasing Davie's Dad with the Crossbow. As he slides down the cliffs while following him the Crossbow goes from being cocked, to de-cocked, and back to cocked again.

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Alternate Versions

The distributor had requested the film be considered for a '15' when it was seen by the BBFC in the UK, but the language in the film was considered too strong for '15'. The distributor chose to reduce the very strong language in the film's final edit, leaving a single use of 'c**t' where there had originally been four uses.

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Connections

References Battle Royale (2000)

User Reviews

Director Michael J. Bassett appears to have discovered his stride

Recipe: take one large dollop of Lord of the Flies, toss in a few heaping tablespoons of Southern Comfort, sprinkle with traces of Deliverance, and add The Most Dangerous Game to taste. Blend on high for 110 minutes and presto, you've got a tasty treat of Wilderness, the new survival thriller by Director Michael J. Bassett.

Set on a remote uninhabited island used by Britain's correctional services as a retreat for troubled youth, the movie tells the story of a group of juvenile criminals who get sent to the remote location only to find themselves being stalked by a trained killer bent on revenge.

Screened at the 2006 edition of Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival, the movie doesn't make much effort to conceal the identity of the stalker. In fact, most viewers can figure this out in the first 15 minutes. However keeping secrets isn't what this story is about. Rather, it's about the thrill of hunting humans, the most sophisticated predator on the planet, and the diverse and innovative tricks involved.

Featuring Sean Pertwee, who seems to own a clause in British movie contracts saying he will appear in every UK thriller/horror film under production, the film showcases the talents of a young cast of unknowns who, while not demanded of Shakespearean performances, nonetheless turn in flawless performances to round out the movie.

Bassett, whose previous directorial debut was 2002's intriguing but flawed Deathwatch, seems to have found his stride with this effort. Scenes appear carefully thought out and executed, with a nice attention to detail. He clearly understands how to pace a film of this nature, and what works and what doesn't in what clearly was a demanding shoot involving attack dogs, forest chases, fires and numerous stunts.

The movie has something for every fan of the genre; beheadings, vicious forest traps, maulings, being eaten alive, crossbows, knife fights, skinheads, near drownings, the list goes on.

Viewers can add this to the ever growing list of British horror films such as The Descent, Dog Soldiers, and 28 Days Later (to name only a few) that are currently setting the world standard for delivering quality cinematic chills and thrills.