“God, I fucking hate camping!” Yup. I resemble that remark, and you will too after watching the intense slasher/thriller Pitfall.  

Frantically rummaging through the damp, dark woods, a mother and son are hoping to escape a villainous man who’s apparently and cruelly torturing his own family. This opening scene not only sets a chilling tone for impending tragedy and despair but also evokes profound sorrow when the young boy softly says, “Mama…wake up. I’m cold. I want to go home.” And with that, they drop into a pitfall, a hidden or hard-to-see hole in the ground used as a trap by hunters to capture prey.  

Scott and Ashley are adult children, traveling with their beloved parents along winding wilderness roads, sharing fond memories and joking with one another in typical cheerful chatter. This close family cherishes their time together, but everything changes when an inevitable tragedy strikes.  

Fast forward a bit, Scott jolts awake from what he perceives to be a nightmare until realizing he will soon be reliving the heartbreak through a planned camping weekend with his now estranged sister Ashley and her “boyfriend” Charlie. Together with his partner Gwen and close friend Lars, the group is prepared to address the consequences stemming from the unfortunate incidents of the previous year(s).  

While brother and sister are agitated with the whole experience, they are committed to get through the trip in hopes of a new beginning to their relationship. Unfortunately, and almost immediately, Scott disappears into an obstructive ditch, impaling his leg and trapping him well beneath the surface of hunting ground like a captive animal. Thus, the painstaking length of time to find and rescue him before a woodsy boogeyman does, launches into an incessant game of cat and mouse on the most ferocious level of blood-soaked violence.  

Pitfall is not just another slasher film to shelf alongside missteps of recent subgenre resurrections such as the Scream franchise (are we really up to number 7?), Ready or Not 2 and the I Know What You Did Last Summer remake. This may not be the most original plotline; however, it has something lost amongst our generation of horror films…it has heart. And not just the gory carved-out kind.  

Ashley (Alexandra Essoe) and Scott (Marshall Williams) are portrayed as nuanced, emotionally complex characters who both demonstrate an awareness of the guilt and regret they carry in relation to one another. Each paired with unconditionally loving mates, the entire circle of friends goes to battle without hesitation to escape the grisliness that awaits them. Wolves, booby traps and even a graphically savage fatal fire don’t deter the strength of their willingness to locate Scott and outrun the menacing maniac.

As time elapses, Scott’s delirium heightens into a “127 Hours” situation of fevered confusion, hallucinations and grapples with his demon-sided self. When faced with the decision between his personal survival or the decree sworn to his mother for protecting Ashley, will Scott choose differently this time? Or will the painful flashbacks force him to withdraw his determination to fight?  

Just remember that a successful slasher flick is indiscriminate, merciless and does not require a masked killer wielding a machete. A bow and arrow, combined with cleverly designed makeshift devices reminiscent of “Saw” on a shoestring budget, can be equally effective. Just think of it as the redneck reach with a gritty approach. Solid, devastating and nasty…this taps on emotions you usually do not find in a formulaic horror film.