The problem with horror films is that the genre is fairly limiting - there are only so many scenarios and, once you have opted for one of them, all that remains is variations on a theme.
This particular movie falls squarely into a fairly well populated group of films, all of which feature nice young people held (and mistreated) by weirdos in a remote cabin in the woods. The formula is more or less set in concrete, all that is left is the precise nature of the weirdos (inbred deformity, check; apparently nice person who is as bad as the rest, check; surprise twist person who you thought was going to help but turns out to be one of them, check) and the reason why the nice young people are being held - this turns out to be fairly original, and gives rise to some interesting script elements, which is one of the reasons why Timber Falls is a cut above the average for this kind of movie.
Also, it generates quite a lot of suspense and tension, and a feeling that the two victims are in genuine jeopardy. The weirdos are pleasingly loopy-appearing-normal, there is some fairly well done nastiness, and the whole thing canters along in a relatively well choreographed way. The performances are pretty good, and the cinematography isn't bad either. As an entry in the genre it is entirely unexceptional but, within that limitation (and given that it appears to be relatively low budget), it is not bad at all.
This particular movie falls squarely into a fairly well populated group of films, all of which feature nice young people held (and mistreated) by weirdos in a remote cabin in the woods. The formula is more or less set in concrete, all that is left is the precise nature of the weirdos (inbred deformity, check; apparently nice person who is as bad as the rest, check; surprise twist person who you thought was going to help but turns out to be one of them, check) and the reason why the nice young people are being held - this turns out to be fairly original, and gives rise to some interesting script elements, which is one of the reasons why Timber Falls is a cut above the average for this kind of movie.
Also, it generates quite a lot of suspense and tension, and a feeling that the two victims are in genuine jeopardy. The weirdos are pleasingly loopy-appearing-normal, there is some fairly well done nastiness, and the whole thing canters along in a relatively well choreographed way. The performances are pretty good, and the cinematography isn't bad either. As an entry in the genre it is entirely unexceptional but, within that limitation (and given that it appears to be relatively low budget), it is not bad at all.