Backcountry 2015

Alex and his girlfriend Jenn arrive at a provincial park for a weekend of camping, hoping to revisit a trail he loved when he was younger. Alex is confident in his memory and declines a map from the park ranger, convinced he knows the park well enough to navigate without aid. The mood is quietly optimistic at first, with a sense of adventure and a touch of nostalgia as they set up camp and plan a peaceful getaway.

That first night, after dinner, they are joined by an Irish tour guide named Brad who Jenn invites to share the table. Brad is friendly and flirty, and his attention toward Jenn needles Alex, who tries to play it cool but can’t completely hide his irritation. The tension between the two men sharpens as Brad flirts with Jenn, and a brief confrontation unfolds before Brad finally leaves to give them space. The moment foreshadows underlying strains in the relationship, hinted at by Alex’s stubbornness and Jenn’s milder, growing unease.

The next morning, Alex decides to venture off the established path, drawn by a memory of a lake hidden deeper in the woods. He moves ahead, deeper into the park, while Jenn follows at a cautious pace. Along the way, Jenn notices a bear paw print pressed into the soil and a half-eaten deer carcass—signs that the wilderness is dangerous and unpredictable. They stumble upon a location that Alex insists is the lake, only to discover that the spot does not exist there. The realization that they are lost settles in with a thin veil of panic. Jenn searches for her cell phone to call for help, but Alex reveals he has removed it from her backpack and left it in the car, a selfish choice meant to prevent distractions but that leaves them exposed in a moment of crisis. The exchange that follows exposes a rift between them: Jenn expresses that she never wanted to come hiking, while Alex discloses a deeper motive—he had intended to propose. The conversation exposes incompatible expectations and amplifies the argument, underscoring how fear and pressure are shaping their judgment.

Back at camp, they prepare for another night in the wilderness. They make camp, and, as they sleep, a huge black bear approaches the tent, its presence both ominous and silent, a stark reminder of the danger surrounding them. The next morning, they awaken to find all of their food has been eaten, adding to the sense that they are at the mercy of the wild. As they push onward, they come across a bear bed and recognize that a bear is nearby. With the threat clearly close, they decide to move as far as they can while there is still daylight, prioritizing safety over progress.

The following morning, Alex awakens to find the bear only a few metres away from the tent. The bear approaches and eventually claws its way through the ripped fabric, injuring Jenn’s arm in a terrifying moment of contact. She briefly wards it off with bear spray, but the bear returns with renewed persistence. Jenn watches with growing horror as Alex is dragged from the tent and brutally mauled to death. In a rush of fear and survival, Jenn flees without any belongings, trying to put distance between herself and the predator.

Jenn climbs into a tree to shelter herself for the night, praying for rescue as the world below her remains perilous. She awakens to the sound of a helicopter overhead, but cannot catch the operators’ attention. The bear stalks again, forcing her to improvise a perilous escape. She manages to descend the cliff by climbing down a waterfall, but loses her footing and breaks her ankle in the fall. With a makeshift splint and a stubborn will to survive, she presses on, using a flare as a guide to navigate the treacherous terrain. Miraculously, she makes it back to their starting point where they left their canoe.

Jenn paddles back toward the park entrance, exhaustion pressing in as she collapses in the parking lot. Just as despair seems close, Brad—who is preparing to lead a tour— notices her and rushes to her side, offering help and support after the harrowing ordeal. The journey that began with confidence, memory, and a bit of romantic tension ends in a stark confrontation with nature and a narrow escape that leaves Jenn forever marked by what she endured in the wild.