‘Nothing haunts us like the past’
Backtrack is a 2015 Australian mystery horror thriller film written, co-produced, and directed by actor Michael Petroni (also screenwriter of Possession [2008]; The Rite).
The film, which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festivalon April 18, 2015, is being released exclusively by Saban Films on DirecTV January 28, 2016, and theatrically and on Demand on February 26.
Main cast:
Adrien Brody, Bruce Spence, Sam Neill (The Final Conflict; In The Mouth of Madness; Jurassic Park), Robin McLeavy (The Loved Ones, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), Malcolm Kennard, and Jenni Baird.
Plot:
Psychologist Peter Bower’s life is thrown into turmoil when he discovers that the patients he has been seeing are ghosts. Risking his own sanity, Peter delves into his past to uncover a terrifying secret which only he can put right…
Reviews:
“The filmmaker effectively creates a sustained atmosphere of ominous tension throughout, with the exception of a few cheap jump scares that devolve the proceedings into familiar horror movie territory. But the real problem with the film is its overly complicated and contrived screenplay that essentially transforms the spooky proceedings into a wan murder mystery.” Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter
“Much like Paranormal Activity, cues are utilized to heighten our unease and expect incoming creeps. Surprisingly, this is not the only trickBacktrack has in its arsenal. Multiple layers of story are revealed as the drama plays out, all with moments of genuine horror that will shoot a chill up your spine.” Paul Nicholasi, Dread Central
“Backtrack is the cinematic equivalent of watching a Rubik’s Cube noisily solve itself for 90 minutes, eventually and cloying resolving its main character’s agony with a stock wave of the hand. Sadly, audiences aren’t so kindly treated, as we’re ushered out the door with one last bout of gratuitous screaming. Because ghosts suck.” Ed Gonzalez, Slant
” … evokes an accomplished eerie mood that, for the most part, doesn’t strain for effect. There are the expected jump-scares—a couple of which do pack the intended jolts—which serve as punctuation in a story more concerned with building a steady tension that grabs you and holds you for the entirety of its running time.” Michael Gingold, Fangoria
“Although Petroni wrote and directed the film, it’s quite apparent that he’s much better with the former than with the latter. Since this is only the second feature that he’s directed, it’s easy to forgive most of the technical flaws, but the predictable narrative is inexcusable for someone with this much experience in script writing.” Luis H. C., Bloody Disgusting
Cast and characters:
- Adrien Brody as Peter Bower
- Bruce Spence as Felix
- Sam Neill as Duncan Stewart
- Robin McLeavy as Barbara Henning
- Malcolm Kennard as Barry
- Jenni Baird as Carol Bower
- Anna Lise Phillips as Erica George
Trailer:
