Road Kill (2010)

   
Directed by: Dean Francis

Written by: Clive Hopkins

Starring:


Xavier Samuel .... Marcus
Sophie Lowe .... Nina
Bob Morley .... Craig
Georgina Haig .... Liz

Release Dates: Dungog Film Festival: May 28, 2010; Limited Theatrical: October 21, 2010 (Australia)

*Images courtesy at:
www.outnow.ch

 

 

Rating:

 

A group of teenagers are returning from a camping trip in a deserted area as they spot a big truck that was on their tail that briefly bumped the back side of their car in which this enraged them as the head teen driver named Marcus (Xavier Samuel) wants to give the truck driver a piece of their mind but this vehicle drives them off the road and into a terrible accident leaving theses kids stranded as well as Marcus badly injured.
They spot the vehicle parked across from them and find out that the driver left their cars in the ignition and take off with it while the driver was trying to run back to his vehicle shooting his gun. Everyone seems to go in a sleeping trance including Craig (Bob Morley) who is driving the vehicle while a certain song is playing and spotting halluications.
After they awake they stop the vehicle before falling off a cliff but can't start it again while they find some way on finding help. They all slowly change and seem to have an evil behavior towards one another except for Nina (Sophie Lowe) who tries to keep it together even if the reason are on the verge of killing one another.

 

The story sounded like this would be a creepy film as well as the poster art but yet that did more of the talking. The beginning seemed lame with the four character's making out and fornicating in a tent while camping out in a deserted area. But then they are on the road in their car and spot a big truck on their tail in which this left an impression that something horrifying was gonna happen. The truck was pretty big and briefly rammed it's front end towards the car as these characters want to get even with whoever was driving this truck. I was shaking my head as this was a big no no to whoever did this and can do more damage in which that's what just happens showing nice effects on the car crashing off the road.
There's some good painful shocking moments with the head character Marcus who injured his arm in which was hard to watch on how mangled his arm looked as well as imagining the intense pain.
Then they spot the truck just parking there which seemed to look mysterious and exciting to find out what will happen afterwards. The area of the truck looks deserted which almost leaves a creepy feel on what could happen later on and there were supposed to be the odd jumping moment during this scene which seems to fail.
Then from a distance the psycho drvier is charging shooting his gun in which the characters panick wondering on what to do but decided to take the truck in which this keeps you in suspense wondering if they will drive off in time before he arrives and they just do.
After all of this the story really falls flat as they all fall asleep including the character Craig who's driving the vehicle as there's hallucinations on wolves with red eyes appearing which looked a bit artsy but at the same time didn't explain itself too well. Then they wake up and nearly fall off a cliff as they're all stranded there with them slowly losing their sanity which went around in circles.
There's psychological elements involving Craig when he tries to go on the road to look for help and is out of water and urinates in a bottle then is about to drink it which made me think "Gross" wondering if he was that insanely thirsty. Then the psycho attacks him asking where his truck is and I thought maybe this will explain as to what his purpose is behind that truck.
In other areas with the main dude named Marcus goes to the back of the truck and goes in to see what is calling to him making it mysterious wondering what is behind the madness of this vehicle that seems to change everyone's personality. When it is discovered though it was gruesome looking corpses and other astuff like that not making any sense at all.
There's a moment when the truck is about to back up with Marcus pinning Craig to the ground and the wheel of the truck moves towards him as this seemed disturbing wondering if he will be able to escape from his grasp.
Then when the vehicle is rolling along going back to the same area another vehcile is spot driving with this truck about to wipe that vehicle out trying to explain as to why it was causing damage in the beginning of the movie but this unsolved mystery seems to fall flat showing very sloppy information on this whole scenerio. The ending was pretty depressing too.
Bottom line is the film was overly long and was a total drag in which the beginning looked like that it might be fun to watch for fans who enjoyed flicks like Joyride or Jeepers Creepers but yet tries to be original and is a complete failure with that even. It was a ghostly tale on a vehicle with a mind of it's own but the writing on it's purpose was difficult to understand. There were some well done moments here and there but not enough for the movie to succeed at all. There's better movies out there than this one.

The acting was at an even pace in which lead actor Xavier Samuel (Marcus) seems to show alot of good characteristics in a nice versatile fashion by acting someone who is a serious type showing good aggressions when necessary as well as really acting in pain when an incident happens and losing his mind. He also knew on how to act like a maniac as well as having a good evil tempting charm like he was possessed by the devil. His looks was a bonus with his masculine features by really suiting the part. He seems to do well by acting brutal with his punches against his fellow actor which looked good and strongly done as well as him speaking nastily towards him.
Sophie Lowe
(Nina) wasn't too bad at all as the girlfriend in the film and focusing well at what she was doing trying to stay sane with the madness going on. She brings out a nice calmness to her personality as well as showing a good sensitivity to her role. Plus she was believeable whenever she got emotional and crying hysterically.
A good brutal blocking with her trying to lock the onscreen maniac in the back part of the truck. She brings out alot into what she did.
Bob Morley
(Craig) knew on how to act as a goofball wanting to have a good time and acting full of life and then changing his ways later on acting obnoxious in which he came across as intimidating which was very impressive by doing all of this.
She does well screaming happily while driving the truck. Does a great job losing his sanity while stumbling on the roadway.He also knew on how to act demented too. He proved himself to be a worthy versatile character actor too.
Georgina Haig
(Liz) showed alot of spunk in her role bringing out alot of great anxiety and aggressions as someone who seemed believeable to speaking their mind and not taking crap from anyone.
A good aggressive reaction on her by cursing out her window. A good freaked out reaction on her shouting towards somebody to stop as this had a nice high pace to it. She had a ton of energy into all that she did in the film. She really took the bull by it's horns with all that she did and really studied this character pretty well too.

A guy's arm is mangled with his bone showing
Various bloodsheds
People's guts are revealed inside a machine of a trucks cargo

We hear some screechy metal sounds the odd time as well as alot of good echoey piano playing in the film which seems common for today's horror films. Plus there's the odd good heavy drum thumps, hissing sounds as well as some chanting sounds too making the moments that was used in the film seem very twisted. The music was brought together by Rafael May.