Lumber vs. Jack

I found this to be a very entertaining movie. Independent movies such as this cannot be measured against big-budget Hollywood movies but must be evaluated on their own terms. By that standard, I regard Lumber vs. Jack to be one of the better "indies" I have seen. Although not exactly a comedy, it has a light-hearted tone (evidenced by the fact that two of the leading characters are named Jack and Jill), which makes it consistently enjoyable to watch. It is well directed, well written (with a number of very clever lines), and, again by the standards of indie films, well acted. The camera work is top notch, although I found the sound to be a bit spotty (I had to adjust the volume up and down several times during the movie).

The premise of the movie -- genetically altered trees rising up to attack humans -- is, admittedly, hokey, but it works in a movie that doesn't take itself too seriously. I found it a bit odd that no one seemed concerned about the fate of the security team who accompanied Jack's ex-wife Jill (Debbie Rochon) into the woods, but, frankly, I didn't care either. The ending leaves open the possibility of a sequel, and I can only hope that it turns out to be as entertaining as this one.

This low budget indie film is quite good. It takes a serious subject, the genetic engineering of plant life and imagines the worst that can happen. The trees go rogue, scientists go missing. A man, whose wife is missing, and who has opposed the program goes to rescue her. Along the way he meets others caught up in the horror that the scientists have created. Jack is very laid back and quite wry. The effects were good for a movie with this budget. I also liked the flashbacks to Jack and Jill's relationship before the divorce. The acting was above average. I would definitely recommend this movie. It scares you, makes you think about what we are doing to the environment and still can make you laugh.