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It's 2020, and the restrictions of the first Covid 19 lockdown have only just been lifted, if only a bit - when befriended couples Enzo (Leo Zola) and Polly (Caitlin Cameron), and Ace (Alex Gravenstein) and Coco (Hannah Forest Briand) decide to go on a camping trip together, basically to get away from all the madness for a bit, and also from nosey neighbours and news programs filled with nothing but increasingly more horrible news about the pandemic - and at first everything's going great, too. Not bothered by anybody and with no cellphone service, the friends party hard but also discover a new-found appreciation for nature, for friendship, for each other - and they even have group sex as a result. But then they find the bullet-riddled, dead body of Doc (Ben Pelletier), and next to him, a formula for a vaccine to cure Covid. And in one of their tents they, totally surprisingly, find a bag containing one million in cash. But what to do now? The right thing to do was report the whole thing to the police of course - but then, all of them are strapped for cash at the moment, especially with the economy where it is. Plus delivering a formula for a Covid vaccine could make them heroes - so after much deliberation they decide to keep the money and sell the formula. Thing is, Doc's bullet wounds weren't self-inflicted, he tried to cheat a couple of heavies, Orick (Michael D'Amico) and Billy (Jonathan Vanderzon), out of their money, and ultimately paid the price - but not before hiding the money in one of our heroes' tents. Thing is, Orick and Billy are still out looking for the money that they feel is rightfully theirs, and it's not long before they pretty much stumble upon our youngsters' camp. And while they're playing it nice first, it's only a matter of time before they resort to brute force to get what they want. Our heroes of course bravely fight back, but this might be a battle that only causes all the more problems when won ...

For the most part this film plays like a routine, if well-written, well-structured and well-crafted thriller, with all the suspense, the shocks and the surprises in the right places - but it's after what in many films of its ilk would be considered the finale that the film unfolds its true potential, adding extra dimensions to what has gone on, and slowly transforming into a cynical meditation on human nature ... without ever leaving thriller territory. And the mise-en-scene of what might be the second finale that defies genre conventions with the camera just doing several 360° turns with a relative (but intentional) disinterest to follow the action, really underlines the transcension of the film. But that said, a relatable ensemble cast keeps things grounded while the wonderful stretch of land this was filmed in sure adds to the film's pretty impressive overall impact.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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