Deadfall Trail

I had the opportunity of catching an advanced screening of this and was pleasantly surprised. We've all been duped before by fancy trailers and poster art so I went into this one with some hesitation. It lived up to the hype.

From the first frame you know this isn't the same indie film that we've seen for the past ten years. The cinematography (it was shot on the same camera as Greenzone) is undeniably the best I've seen for under $100,000. It's not just the look either, it's the feel. The film is more of a throwback to when indie film was a mentality more than a genre.

I can't say I would recommend this to everyone. It was a slow burner, pacing comparable to Moon or Transsiberian, with well placed punches of action throughout. That said, I wasn't bored for a moment. The characters and story kept me invested without unnecessary blood or nudity.

Deadfall Trail will be a film you either love or hate. I can imagine the divide occurring within the last act when the film takes a surprising turn.

I give it 8/10 and will definitely be seeing this again at the Phoenix Film Festival in April.

• Chris Heck