 When Davie commits suicide following a relentless bullying campaign by fellow inmates in a young offenders' institution, there's only one course of action to take. That's right . . . send his tormentors into the bracing fresh air of the countryside for a bit of a holiday. However, their trip isn't quite the holiday they were expecting and they soon find themselves on an apparently deserted island being cajoled into team-building exercises that are designed to teach them some "elementary life values". But the island isn't deserted, as they discover when a mysterious hunter starts picking them off with ruthless efficiency, leaving clues to suggest the victims are being punished for their past behaviour each time. If the remaining group in this British horror can get their heads together they may just be able to get off the island . . . but, really, what are the chances of that happening when there are still bad guys unpunished and screams unscreamed? As you may expect, Wilderness is awash with blood, guts and gore from start to finish, with elaborate death scenes that will remind many of you of the Final Destination franchise. The promise of all this bloodshed will lure in the horror fans, especially those who saw Michael J Bassett's directorial debut Deathwatch. But it's the bullying scenes at the film's start which proved the most harrowing to watch. The cast of young newcomers play a generally thuggish bunch not worthy of our sympathy but, under the leadership of veteran star Sean Pertwee, they put in impressive performances that demonstrate the intensity of their situation. Overall, it's no Dog Soldiers but it'll satisfy the appetites of many a horror fan. |