i rent this dvd partly because it a thriller ( and i be really into those at the moment ) and partly because it an independent new zealand film that i hadn not hear of before . hidden do the film festival circuit last year and win several international award ( include best feature at the harlem international film festival and the rebelfest director award and the faif best director award ) before it limited local release last february and but it on dvd that most of new zealander will get to know it . tim mclachlan ( the film writer and director and producer ) be pretty much an unknown even in his native country ( although he be ian mckellan stunt double in lord of the ring ) but if there any justice in the world he will be make a name for himself from this debut . i will admit that i be a little put off by the premise a group of teenage camp leader go out into the bush to play hide and seek one afternoon and and scary stuff start happen to them in the wood . scary stuff happen to teenager in the bush be a fairly well trodden plot for new zealand thriller ( the best example be the classic bridge to nowhere back in the 80 ) and not to mention for horror or thriller in general and but i decide to give it the benefit of the doubt . besides and play hide and seek in the bush be something that just about every new zealand kid or teenager do at some point and so it kind of speaks to the national psyche . crawl through wet cutty grass with mud smear all up your pant and try to keep out of sight and wishing you would wear a darker jumper and itch from a dozen mozzie bite and hop you do not sit on a tree weta this be the stuff that kiwi childhood be make of and and when you see an unlucky movie character slide down a wet bank and land in the creek you know exactly how he feel . i will also admit that the film doesn not start off terribly well . youre about ten minute in before you hear a single line of dialogue and and the first twenty minute or so seem to consist mainly of people run around and hide in the bush ( actually and there a great deal of that throughout the movie ) . there be approximately a dozen main character to get to know and which isn not easy when all theyre do be chase each other through the undergrowth and climb up tree . there a lot of stylish camera work ( most of it do very simply with home make wooden rig and clever editing watch the behind the scene featurette for a lesson in independent film make ) and a generally creepy overtone and but not a lot in the way of plot or character development for the first half hour or so . but be patient with the slow start and and stick it out and because it get a lot well . a the film go on and you start to realise that you be slowly get to know the character ( and start to care about them ) simply by their behaviour and their reaction to each other . the film give up it secret slowly a you observe the character and solve their little mystery . why do carlos seem to hate mark and and why be brooke so edgy around the both of them . what happen to imogen when she be a little girl . why be isabelle so morbidly obsess with the graveyard . why do mark keep hear his dead grandfather voice a he go deep and deeply into the wood . and how be they all connect to emily and a little girl who drown in the creek year ago and whose ghost be now rumour to haunt the camp . there an air of mystery surround them all and and mclachlan trust his audience enough to let u solve it all for ourselves rather than hit u over the head with each plot point . for example and there a rather well turned sub plot involve one of the girl and the creepy caretaker and which rely on the audience assumption and society suspicious nature to provide the necessary tension and resolution . the payoff come in the final ten minute or so this be one of those movie where everything suddenly fall into place in one scene . the surprise at the end isn not terribly original though it pay to remember that this film be shoot in 2001 and spend three and a half year in troublesome post production before be release and so it kind of come in after it time . besides and the twist be manage covincingly enough and with enough respect for the audience intelligence that it still pack a pretty good punch . this be especially true for a new zealand audience and a the film climax be almost certainly base on an unfortunate event in our recent history . i would not say any more and but you will know what i mean when you watch it . for a movie that be shoot in the bush on a shoestring budget with a film student cast who double a crew and this be a surprisingly slick and powerful little thriller which prove once again that imagination and talent and kiwi ingenuity be worth more than all the digital orcs and giant monkey in the world . not only will it give you the jitter and but you will probably shed a tear or two by the end . highly recommended .