The Timber (2015)

A felled log?

The Timber is directed by Anthony O'Brien and O'Brien co-writes the screenplay with Steve Allrich and Colin Ossiander. It stars James Ransome, Josh Peck and William Gaunt. Music is by Tim Borquez and cinematography by Phil Parmet.

Two brothers set off on a mission through the snowy wilderness...

The Timber is one of those films that's baffling yet intriguing. One only has to look at some amateur review sites to see that it's reviled and adored in equal measure. Depending on what side of the fence you sit, it's either a misunderstood (and under appreciated) art house Western venture, or a badly edited and incomprehensible mess.

The two brothers played by Ransome and Peck are on a mission to capture their estranged father (Gaunt) who has gone psycho after his Yukon gold well has run dry. This point of reference is not instantly apparent and is quite frankly vague and almost lost in the surreal mix. Upon their journey they encounter problems and weird characters, all this while they also contend with the ghosts of their pasts (for all we know they might actually be ghosts anyway!). The narrative is choppy, punctured by irritatingly long periods of pointless silence, and there seems to be gaps where something else should be formed, thus giving the impression that it was filmed on the fly with mucho improv.

Of course it could well be the intention of the makers was to deliberately make a nightmare/dreamy Apocalypse Now style Oater, and that many of us just don't get it? Or it really is a case of ideas above their station? What isn't in doubt is that it's magnificently photographed, a snowy Western filmed on location in the Carpathian Mountains is a thing to cherish, whilst it is undoubtedly a fascinating production, but conversely it's almost impossible to recommend with confidence. Roll the dice and take your chance... 4/10