No, not HBO's TV western series with the fruity language and intense performances, but a British indie horror flick that's attracted decent word of mouth, despite the everso slightly familiar concept of a young group finding horror down in the woods.

Four friends escape the grime of the city hoping to catch up on old times, with no idea that their weekend away will end up as a battle for their very lives. The bad omens start early when they run over a deer, then stumble across two abandoned cars in the middle of nowhere. No tyre tracks, no path means something very strange is going on. Events take a more sinister turn when a girl named Ketsy shows up out of nowhere saying she's looking for her missing boyfriend. Soon their nightmare begins as they find themselves lost in the forest and stalked by a deadly, unknown force.

Written and directed by newcomers David Bryant, Sebastian Smith and Richard Styles, the film has won praise for its twisted story and performances from critics and audiences alike. Fresh and inventive, Dead Wood apparently stands apart from the cookie cutter clones that are so frequently churned out of late, described by Slasherpool.com as "A great and original horror flick." We shall see.

Dead Wood will be released on UK DVD on 13th April 2009 by DNC Films at RRP of just £9.99. No extras have been listed.