Devouring Horror One Bloody Chunk At A Time….
I’m just going to cut to the chase and state that The Retaliators is yet another film where the trailer for it is pretty awesome, but the movie winds up being just average. Despite being marketed as the big “rock n’ roll movie” of the […]
Movie Reviews Movies & TVI’m just going to cut to the chase and state that The Retaliators is yet another film where the trailer for it is pretty awesome, but the movie winds up being just average. Despite being marketed as the big “rock n’ roll movie” of the year, The Retaliators really winds up being a mixed bag of confusion and frustration set to an okay soundtrack for the hour and thirty-seven-minute runtime. Cameos from members of bands such as Papa Roach and Five Finger Death Punch might be fun for fans of these bands to see, but they don’t really help make the movie any better or worse. Oh yeah, there’s also a cameo by Tommy Lee of Motley Crue, but blink and you’ll miss it.
The opening scene is pretty routine. Two girls in a van decide to take a drive on a route that’s unmarked and unknown. Naturally, they get a popped tire, and all hell breaks loose. OH NO!!
Now, let me stop here and tell you that The Retaliators is basically three plots wrapped up into one, which kind of works as the film moves forward, but it also makes the story go all over the place and become annoyingly sloppy.
Moving along from the popped tire and the two girls in dire trouble—something happens to them at which point we flashback to a couple of years ago when we meet our main character/protagonist, mild-mannered Bishop (Michael Lombardi). He happens to be a man of the cloth and a father of two daughters, Sarah (Katie Kelley) and Rebecca (Abbie Hafer). They all live an easy-going lifestyle, free from violence, confrontation or any other such ugliness that exists in real life. That is until the older daughter asks her dad if she can go to a party and unfortunately, he makes the bad decision to let her go. So, there’s set up number one.
Next, we witness the next setup/plot which has to do with a drug deal gone wrong between some bad guys in a motorcycle club. The main bad guy is an intimidating-looking guy named Ram (Joseph Gatt) and he’s not one you’d want to come across in a dark alley.
So, these two plots mesh together when Bishop’s daughter and Ram wind up at the same gas station at the same time. As luck would have it, Sarah accidentally sees something she shouldn’t have, and Ram decides that he’s got to take her out of the picture. He does so in a pretty brutal way and once Bishop finds out that his daughter is dead, the passive preacher has to figure out what his plan of action is going to be. Is he going to retaliate against the man who’s murdered his daughter or is he going to let the Lord take care of him?
In the third subplot of The Retaliators Bishop meets with a cop named Jed (Marc Menchaca) who’s investigating the murder of Sarah. We get a flashback with Jed and learn that he has a secret of his own, which involves a cameo from Papa Roach’s Jacoby Shaddix as a cold-blooded killer. Long explanation short: once everything is revealed to Bishop by Jed, Bishop is given the opportunity to get his shot at revenge on the man who killed his daughter. Jed makes it super easy for him, but once again, Bishop finds exacting the pain and suffering that he’s been carrying inside of himself on another living person hard to do.
And THAT’S when The Retaliators becomes annoying. The emotional struggle that Bishop deals with is frustrating to watch as he’s given several opportunities to take out the sick son of a bitch throughout several scenes and he doesn’t. He’s made to look like Ash from The Evil Dead and he’s just as bumbling in a few scenes, but without the campy fun. Towards the end of the film there’s a holiday theme that’s just kind of hokey, and it’s at this point that the movie just needs to end quicker than it does. Once the film does end, you can’t help but breathe a huge sigh of relief.
The Retaliators isn’t the worst film I’ve seen, but it’s not the greatest. It has its moments, but it left me wanting. The acting and effects work well enough. The gore is plentiful, and the score is enjoyable. I think the writing team of Darren Geare and Jeff Allen Geare, along with directors Samuel Gonzalez, Jr. and Bridget Smith did a fine job. However, I also think they were a bit too ambitious for their own good. As a result, the story never truly comes together.
“I’ll take Royal Jelly,” I say. “Only because I like the name.” “You’re a brave man,” responds Ravenous Monster’s somewhat quizzical honcho, Jason Thorson. “It’s all yours.” Rrrrrrright. As they say about books, you can’t judge ’em by its cover. Ditto films by title. So […]
Movie Reviews Movies & TV“I’ll take Royal Jelly,” I say. “Only because I like the name.”
“You’re a brave man,” responds Ravenous Monster’s somewhat quizzical honcho, Jason Thorson. “It’s all yours.”
Rrrrrrright.
As they say about books, you can’t judge ’em by its cover. Ditto films by title.
So begets this little ditty ’bout Jam and dustpan (apologies, Mr. Mellencamp). You see, I’m ready to sweep up the remains of this horror-ble flick for which I regret volunteering this review.
Well, anything for Jason. But really …
Royal Jelly, from Uncork’d Entertainment and available on streaming platforms beginning Sept. 14, is about a high school outcast, her love of honeybees, and a supernatural transformation that will have most of you shaking your heads in bewilderment over the time you just wasted.
It is NOT, unfortunately, about or even akin to Roald Dahl’s short horror story, though both take their title from the honeybee secretion used as nutrition for larvae and queen bees.
Instead, we have the bespectacled Aster (Elizabeth McCoy) as the outcast, who springs from a dysfunctional blended family — caring father (Jonas Chartock), uncaring stepmom (Fiona McQuinn), and half-evil half-sis Drew (Raylen Ladner). Aster is ridiculed at school until a substitute teacher (Tresa, played by Sherry Lattanzi) turns the tables on the girl’s tormentors.
This begins an incredulously fast friendship of nerd and mentor, the latter of the two with intentions far beyond their inappropriate relationship. (I mean, how many teacher-student BFFs do you know?) After Aster’s bullying brigade destroys her home apiary, Tresa helps her get revenge, then spirits her away to a remote home where the two begin to set up their own network of beehives.
Now, Aster is away from home for days. Are school officials unnerved? Does the family issue an Amber alert? Does Aster even think something’s amiss when Tresa’s two heretofore unmentioned sons appear — at different times and with different purposes?
Nope. In fact, her family is never heard from again. For that matter so, too, her glasses. Halfway through the film, Aster’s specs disappear, never to be seen again. Let’s just assume her return to 20/20 vision is a miracle, similar to whoever conjured up the nickels, dimes, and dollars for this cinematic sin.
Am I harsh? You be the judge. First son Henry (Lucas T. Matchett) shows up at Aster’s window covered in blood or honey or goop or whatever. Does she ask him what’s up? No, they fall into bed for a clunky, totally unbelievable night of lovemaking. Next morning, no Henry. Enter second son David (Jake McCoy) dressed like a redneck cowboy. Why? We’ll never know.
What we do know is director and writer Sean Riley has created a plot (sic) so full of gaping holes one has to wonder if his ineptitude is purposeful. We do eventually kinda, maybe, possibly figure out Tesa is building some kind of human bee colony, but even that revelation is botched when the members of the colony show off their vampire-like fangs. Bees have fangs? Fangs so fake they look like they came right out of Spencer’s Gifts or, more likely, a bubble gum machine?
And then the wings. Oh my God the wings. I’ve seen better wings on the angels in a grade-school Christmas pageant.
OK, I’ve spewed enough venom. Time to say something nice. Something … something …
THINK, Allan, THINK!
Can’t do it. Look, this is just one cluster-fluke of a movie. The dialogue is stilted and packed with so many awkward pauses not even a talented cast (as if) could elevate it to passable. Nothing smacks of reality. It’s not scary and not even unintentionally campy. It’s just one honey of a turd.
Royal Jelly is a royal mess, but I will close on one semi-positive note: The music ain’t half bad.
Score one (pun intended) for Joe Hodgin.
Starring Cassandra Magrath, Witches of Blackwood is a supernatural thriller directed by Kate Whitbread and written by Darren Markey. It tells the story of Claire Nash, a police officer recovering from a recent traumatic event while on the job. Having already lost her mother—who died […]
Movie Reviews Movies & TVStarring Cassandra Magrath, Witches of Blackwood is a supernatural thriller directed by Kate Whitbread and written by Darren Markey. It tells the story of Claire Nash, a police officer recovering from a recent traumatic event while on the job. Having already lost her mother—who died under mysterious circumstances—Claire learns her father has died as well and returns to her hometown of Blackwood in hopes of finding answers. But things are strange back home. Blackwood seems to be nearly abandoned, with few people left. Those who remain whisper rumors of a mysterious soul-stealing entity that resides in the woods beyond.
The performances in the film are strong. Cassandra Magrath’s Claire is believable as a confident cop dealing with trauma and seeking answers to the mysteries of her past. Lee Mason’s frantic and aggressive portrayal of Sergeant Terrence Walker, the sole evidence of law enforcement in the quiet, strange, little town, is small but pivotal.
Another brief but memorable role is that of Jen Foster, played by Nikola Dubois. Her performance is low-key, but slightly manic, on the verge of snapping at any moment. Her brief scene is unnerving and provides an organic moment of exposition for Claire, and the audience, to learn more about the nature of Blackwood.
Largely, Witches of Blackwood leans toward the Mystery-Thriller side of the spectrum as Claire investigates the town, wary of the inherent weirdness she finds among the remaining inhabitants. There are moments of bloodshed and gore intermittently throughout the film, but this is not the focus of the story.
Rather, it’s about Claire unraveling the mysteries of Blackwood while confronting her past and her relationship with her mother. There’s little in the way of direct danger to Claire. While the people she finds in Blackwood are ominous, they don’t seem to pose a threat to her, except for the frenzied police sergeant. What few direct threats she encounters in her investigation are resolved quite quickly. As such, the film is a little light on tension and scares.
That said, this appears intentional. A focus on gore, scares and tension don’t seem to be the intent for the story. Rather, it is more of a character study to see how Claire reacts to the revelations she uncovers. The film’s dramatic core centers on Claire’s relationship with her mother, her past, and the choices she makes as she learns her place in the town of Blackwood.
Kate Whitbread and Darren Markey have crafted an engaging and suitably macabre film. The visual juxtaposition between the seaside town where Claire works and the woodsy, autumnal mood of Blackwood provides dynamic imagery and tonal variety, making the film interesting to watch. Some of the associative imagery when flashing back from the present day to past events are reminiscent of Nicolas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now. What it may lack in scares and tension is made up for in confident performances, strong imagery, and a calming yet foreboding musical score.
Just released to DVD and TVOD this week, Witches of Blackwood is a fine, atmospheric film, arriving just in time to kick off the Halloween season.
Gravitas Ventures just dropped a trailer for their forthcoming supernatural horror flick Demigod which will be available in select theaters and On-Demand October 15, 2021. Demigod is directed by Miles Doleac (Watchmen, Halt and Catch Fire) and boasts a stacked cast that includes Rachel Nichols (Star […]
Movies & TV NewsGravitas Ventures just dropped a trailer for their forthcoming supernatural horror flick Demigod which will be available in select theaters and On-Demand October 15, 2021.
Demigod is directed by Miles Doleac (Watchmen, Halt and Catch Fire) and boasts a stacked cast that includes Rachel Nichols (Star Trek, Alias, The Man in the High Castle), Jeremy London (Mallrats, Journey to the Center of the Earth), and Elena Sanchez (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Walking Dead).
Demigod follows the story of a woman and her husband who return to her birthplace in the Black Forest of Germany upon the death of her grandfather only to find a terrifying secret lurking there.
Watch the trailer below and look for Demigod in select theaters and On-Demand October 15.
Danzig’s DEATH RIDER IN THE HOUSE OF VAMPIRES in Select US Theaters August 27 Alright, Horror Fans…legendary crooner from hell Glenn Danzig’s (The Misfits, Samhain, Danzig) second feature film Death Rider in the House of Vampires opens tomorrow across 200 select US theaters. Let’s be […]
Movies & TV NewsDanzig’s DEATH RIDER IN THE HOUSE OF VAMPIRES in Select US Theaters August 27
Alright, Horror Fans…legendary crooner from hell Glenn Danzig’s (The Misfits, Samhain, Danzig) second feature film Death Rider in the House of Vampires opens tomorrow across 200 select US theaters. Let’s be honest. That sentence alone is worth publishing on the internet, no questions asked. Also, you’ve been warned.
Danzig’s second foray into filmmaking boasts a stacked cast including the enigmatic singer himself. And if the trailer, included below, is any indication the movie appears to be every bit as batshit crazy as one would expect given the neophyte director’s cinematic track record thus far.
Read on for the full press release as well as the trailer and one sheet….
Los Angeles, CA (August 26, 2021) – Following successful advance screenings in Los Angeles, CA and Las Vegas, NV this past weekend, Glenn Danzig’s second feature film – the vampire spaghetti western Death Rider in the House of Vampires – will open across the U.S. at 200+ screens in select theaters on August 27.
In Death Rider in the House of Vampires, the mysterious “Death Rider” – clad all in black – travels through the desert on horseback. His destination…Vampire Sanctuary. The entrance fee…one female virgin. Once inside he encounters Count Holliday, Vampire Lord of Sanctuary who warns him against any transgressions. Blood-&-guns action follows as Death Rider tangles with some of the Vampires of Sanctuary like the smoldering Carmilla Joe with her sidekick Mina Belle and Vampire Gunslingers Drac Cassidy, Bad Bathory, Kid Vlad & Duke VonWayne
Death Rider in the House of Vampires stars Danny Trejo (Machete, From Dusk till Dawn), Julian Sands (The Killing Fields, Boxing Helena, Warlock), Devon Sawa (Final Destination, Idle Hands), Kim Director (The Deuce, Blair Witch 2) and Eli Roth (Inglorius Basterds, Cabin Fever) as well as writer/director Glenn Danzig in a supporting role as vampire gunslinger Bad Bathory.
Tickets can be purchased here: Deathridermovie.com.
A family stops by a creepy old guy’s (Blaque Fowler) yard sale and, naturally, an equally creepy teddy bear is discovered by the family’s young girl. The old guy lets her have it for free—uh-oh! Soon madness is unleashed in a weird whirlwind of otherworldly […]
Movie Reviews Movies & TVA family stops by a creepy old guy’s (Blaque Fowler) yard sale and, naturally, an equally creepy teddy bear is discovered by the family’s young girl. The old guy lets her have it for free—uh-oh! Soon madness is unleashed in a weird whirlwind of otherworldly terror! The film from the team of writer Jennifer Trudrung and director James Suttles is called The Nest (2021). Get comfy and keep the bug spray handy while we decide if this movie leaves a lingering itch or if it needs to be swatted away.
Essentially, The Nest is a bug-a-boo tale about a dysfunctional family consisting of mom, Beth (Sarah Navratil), who’s a recovering addict, a not-so-great dad named Jack (Kevin Patrick Murphy) and their young daughter, Meg (Maple Suttles). They’re trying to get along the best they can, but it’s obvious they have their issues. Meg has severe separation anxiety and wants her mother nearby at all times. Beth has guilt issues stemming from her addiction problems and dealing with her recovery. Jack has issues trying to keep Beth from feeling guilty and tries to make her feel like she’s a worthy mother and wife. There’s also family friend Marissa (Dee Wallace) who tries to help the situation as much as she can. So, yeah, the family is pretty fucked up, but they try to make things work.
Once Meg brings the teddy bear named Ricky into the fold, things only get stranger. Turns out that Ricky is infested with odd, parasitic ant-like creatures that love sugar and like to infect humans to use to do their dirty work. These creatures like to keep things in the family, so naturally they need a queen and workers. What will this mean for young Meg and her family?
As usual, there are a few nits to pick with The Nest. With a runtime of around an hour and forty minutes, this film runs a bit too long for what it has to offer. It’s more talk than action and it tends to slow down more often than not. However, this is a fun watch if you don’t take the movie too seriously. Be warned, though, if you’re looking for a bunch of blood and gore, you won’t find it here. While there’s a decent amount of CGI, the practical effects are fewer, though they’re well done. The acting isn’t over the top and the story flows smoothly. There are unsurprisingly a few technical shortcomings. Some of the scenes could use better lighting and sound, but other than that, it’s a well-executed effort.
If you’re a fan of Invaders from Mars (1953) or Invasion of The Body Snatchers (1956), then The Nest is a movie to consider. You can currently find it streaming on Prime for $3.99.
You know how some movies are made, seen by a handful of people and then just wind up wherever it is stray socks and missing Tupperware lids go? This is kind of what happened with Animosity as it was shot way back in 2012 as […]
Movie Reviews Movies & TVYou know how some movies are made, seen by a handful of people and then just wind up wherever it is stray socks and missing Tupperware lids go? This is kind of what happened with Animosity as it was shot way back in 2012 as a student film on a budget of $14,000. This film had a short stint on the film festival circuit in 2013 where it won awards for Best Actress and Best Horror Feature, but afterward the film just kind of disappeared.
But not to worry. Thanks to the fine folks at Wild Eye Releasing, it’s been brought back. Is that a good thing? Well, sit back as I share with you my two cents about Brendan Steere’s Animosity.
If you’re not familiar with writer/director Brendan Steere’s name, perhaps you’ve heard of his horror/comedy The Velocipastor (2018), which was about a holy reptilian man of the “clawth”. This film was an unexpectedly huge hit for Steere, so Wild Eye Releasing blew off the dust from Animosity and decided to give it a re-release in hopes that it would be as popular with fans as Steere’s subsequent work has been. The trailer for Animosity hooked me immediately and I jumped at the chance to watch the film in its entirety, hoping that it was going to be as gnarly and disturbing as promised. I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed.
The plot of Animosity is a bit confusing, at least for the first half of the film. The opening scene pulls no punches and is gloriously graphic. Either you’re all-in once you see it or you’ll give up altogether and turn it off. Essentially, the movie is about a newlywed couple, Mike (Marcin Paluch) and Carrie (Tracy Willet), who purchase a house in the middle of the woods. Nothing wrong with that, right? I mean, what could go wrong (Trust me, plenty of things go disturbingly wrong in this film)? From their reason for buying the house, to the “experiments” taking place, to the weird neighbors and goings on in the woods…nothing and no one is to be trusted. Please excuse the vagueness of this synopsis, but so many fucked up things happen in this film and it’s difficult to keep this spoiler-free.
There are a few small nits to pick. There are flaws with the lighting that make some scenes appear murky, and a few scenes run a bit longer than necessary, but it’s a student film that was shot on a student film budget, so there’s that. And, again, the story is confusing until the movie gets rolling and the reveal is finally explained in the second half of the film.
Overall, Animosity is an effectively filmed offering. The acting is great, the gore is fun and it’s just a weirdly enjoyable watching experience. Kudos to Brendan Steere and the entire cast and crew on a successful debut film! Hopefully this release gains Steere as much attention as his other film has and I look forward to seeing what he does next.
If you’d like to check out Animosity, it’s currently available on VOD/Digital.
We’ve just cracked the precious outer shell of August and Readers of this site know what that means: It’s Halloween Season! Okay, technically it’s always Halloween Season. I get it. But we’re creeping toward that time when the normies join us and the weather does […]
Movies & TV NewsWe’ve just cracked the precious outer shell of August and Readers of this site know what that means: It’s Halloween Season! Okay, technically it’s always Halloween Season. I get it. But we’re creeping toward that time when the normies join us and the weather does too. And when that happens, all kinds of good things are afoot, including Halloween themed horror flicks.
On August 13, Terror Films will deliver one right to your homes via the magic interweb tubes. It’s called 10/31 Part II, a horror anthology sequel featuring directors from indie horror’s hottest, darkest corners.
Will 10/31 Part II continue the success of its predecessor and become an anthology staple, a la the V/H/S and ABCs of Death series? We’ll find out in a week, but for now you can watch the trailer, check out the poster and read the full press release below, Horror Fans….
10/31 Part II is the second installment of the popular Halloween themed anthologies that taps the best directors, actors and composers from the indie film world and brings them all together to make one terrifying feature.
Premiering on Demand and Digital August 13 from Terror Films, the film stars Jennifer Nangle, Anastasia Elfman, David E. McMahon, Tim Robinson, Rhema Srihartiti and London Grace.
“As a huge fan of horror growing up, especially anthologies like Creepshow and Tales From the Crypt, I was thrilled to be able to work with a group of such talented writers, directors and actors to make our own anthology film come to life,” says producer Rocky Gray.
10/31 Part II will be on Demand and Digital August 13.
Horror Fans know better than anybody what a mixed bag low-budget indie horror can be, so it brings Ravenous Monster great pleasure when we stumble upon a trailer that looks…well, good! Such is the case with the new trailer for director BJ Verot’s forthcoming feature […]
Movies & TV NewsHorror Fans know better than anybody what a mixed bag low-budget indie horror can be, so it brings Ravenous Monster great pleasure when we stumble upon a trailer that looks…well, good!
Such is the case with the new trailer for director BJ Verot’s forthcoming feature The Return. All things point to The Return being a classic haunted house set up led by an impressive cast and boasting beautiful photography. We’ll have the chance to find out on August 10, but until then you can peruse both the full press release and the trailer below. Read on, Horror Fans….
Richard Harmon and Sara Thompson, stars of The CW’s smash-hit series The 100, star in the award-winning supernatural thriller The Return, premiering On Demand and Digital this August.
Rodger returns home from college with two friends to settle the affairs of his recently deceased father. They begin to experience weird and unsettling occurrences in the house. Rodger is soon plagued by strange childhood memories about a haunting by a ghostly presence. These memories boil over into reality culminating in an intense showdown with the terror that has come back.
Directed by BJ Verot, The Return also stars Echo Andersson, Marina Stephenson Kerr, Zoe Fish, Erik Athavale, and Gwendolyn Collins.
Winner of Best Feature at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, and Best Actor (Richard Harmon) at the New York City Horror Film Festival, The Return premieres August 10 On Demand/Digital from Uncork’d Entertainment.
Road Head, a Terror Films release now available via VOD and on DVD (for the Neanderthals among us), is one of those rare films with a title that’s both literal and figurative. But it’s the literal interpretation that sets the stage for what is — […]
Movie Reviews Movies & TVRoad Head, a Terror Films release now available via VOD and on DVD (for the Neanderthals among us), is one of those rare films with a title that’s both literal and figurative.
But it’s the literal interpretation that sets the stage for what is — alliteration alert! — the most quintessentially quirky queer quest for horror infamy I’ve ever seen. And it succeeds, at least in part.
Before we go totally LBGTQ, we’re witness to a heterosexual couple driving along in the middle of who knows where when girl gets amorous with boy. As girl does the dirty — road head, get it? — a rather medieval-looking large fellow, standing in the middle of the road, causes boy to slam on the brakes, turning pleasure to pain. Uh, penis pain that is, brakes not being the only thing clamping down.
But that isn’t the worst of it. Our large lug brandishes a sword and uses it to decapitate both girl and boy, leaving their noggins in the middle of the thoroughfare. Road head, get it?
Enter our stars: Gay lovers Bryan (Clayton Farris) and Alex (Damian Joseph Quinn), along with Bryan’s best friend, straight Stephanie (Elizabeth Grullon). The trio is enroute by van to Isola Lake for a mini vaca. As Stephanie gets high in the back seat, Bryan and Alex quibble, humorously banter back and forth, and generally make cute as a couple.
To their dismay, they discover the lake has dried up, leaving a desert-like surface (think Bonneville Salt Flats) still suitable for both pavement and exploration. So, on they go. And as they go, our cute couple decides to do the road head thing with Bryan at the wheel and Alex at the lap. Unfortunately, Bryan spies the aforementioned two decapitated noggins in the middle of the road, slams on the brakes and … well, history repeats itself.
Only this time, back in the realm of who knows where, our large lug (Adam Nemet) has his work cut out for him. When he makes his expected entrance, wounded Bryan is the easy prey. As the lug severs his noggin, Alex and Stephanie go a-joggin’. So, we all know a reckoning of sorts is yet to play out.
Turns out Stephanie’s escape, at least, is short lived. For one thing, she and Alex are no longer in possession of the van. For another, they’re fighting like cats and dogs while trying to navigate their desert-like surroundings on foot. Before long, the lug captures Stephanie and transports her to a wasteland of vehicles where his cult friends reside.
The cult, a group of literally queer faux-medieval madmen, is headed by Carl (Paul T. Taylor) and includes comic crazies Jared (Kevin Mouren-Laurens), Larry (Schoen Hodges), and Felicity Fellatio Bones (David McKee). Oh, and we learn the lug is more appropriately known as The Executioner.
As for Stephanie, she’s eyed as the prize who can spawn more members of the cult, though her first so-called sexual encounter with Carl makes our road head episodes look benign by comparison. Poor Carl might have been better off meeting The Executioner’s sword than Steph’s teeth.
In order to dodge the dreaded spoiler alert, we’ll leave it right there save for a little flattery and some nitpicking of flaws.
Road Head writer Justin Xavier gets a pat on the back for some truly inspired dialogue that is delightfully snarky and witty. One of the best and simplest lines comes in a fight-back pep talk from Stephanie when she tells a petrified Alex to “woman up!” While much of the banter is a curse circus, it doesn’t feel out of place given the characters and the circumstances.
And speaking of characters, director David Del Rio gets credit for assembling a cast that has an on-screen chemistry rarely seen in low-budget fright films. Gullen, especially, and Quinn shine as Stephanie and Alex. And while this is more camp than horror, he threads the line between the two with finesse.
As for flaws … well, you can literally smell the cheese, whether it be the gore or the bore, the latter being the totally unnecessary imagined appearance of Stephanie’s ex, David (a wooden Clay Acker). Those scenes did little but slow down an otherwise fast-paced story.
And the ending. Oh, that ending. Damn the ending.
Not. Going. There.
All things considered. Road Head was fun. Imperfect, but fun. Worth a heads-up (groan) for genre junkies.
