Running time: 91 minutes
Starring: Will Ash, Christine Bottomley,
Rating 5 out of 10
There's a fine line between horror and slapstick (just watch Evil Dead) which, if deliberate can be good, but if unwitting can be quite bad. You'll have to make up your own mind with this new British thriller, penned and directed by Mark Tonderai - but it's leaning towards the latter.
In the story, couple Zakes' (Will Ash) and Beth (Christine Bottomley) drive home along the M1, to do Zakes' job - putting up adverts in service stations. When a white truck narrowly avoids hitting them, its back door opens to reveal a woman screaming and caged up inside. Unsure if what he has seen is real Zakes' calls the police but decides against following the lorry.
His unwillingness to act burdens their already-strained relationship and at the next service-station Beth storms off. When she doesn't return, Zakes discovers that she too has been snatched by the white truck driver and is forced to pursue. Therein follows a cat-and-mouse game with Zakes on the - rather gory - receiving end of the sinister lorry driver and his accomplices, but can he save Beth?
For a low-budget thriller it's well-shot - atmospherically grim courtesy of the great British weather and a gritty northern motorway landscape. Directorially speaking this feature isn't lacking - it's just a shame that the script isn't as feasible, or as tightly-plotted as a good thriller requires.
Will Ash has almost the entire script on his shoulders and he does a great job with the range of emotions he has to make convincing - but there are moments in the film where the audience didn't know whether to laugh or wince in disbelief.
Tonderai is clearly making a point about social responsibility here, which is a great thematic vehicle (pardon the pun) for a thriller - but you can't help thinking that something of smaller scope would have gone a longer way. You don't necessarily need a fancy car to go on a good ride.
Kate Coffey
In the story, couple Zakes' (Will Ash) and Beth (Christine Bottomley) drive home along the M1, to do Zakes' job - putting up adverts in service stations. When a white truck narrowly avoids hitting them, its back door opens to reveal a woman screaming and caged up inside. Unsure if what he has seen is real Zakes' calls the police but decides against following the lorry.
His unwillingness to act burdens their already-strained relationship and at the next service-station Beth storms off. When she doesn't return, Zakes discovers that she too has been snatched by the white truck driver and is forced to pursue. Therein follows a cat-and-mouse game with Zakes on the - rather gory - receiving end of the sinister lorry driver and his accomplices, but can he save Beth?
For a low-budget thriller it's well-shot - atmospherically grim courtesy of the great British weather and a gritty northern motorway landscape. Directorially speaking this feature isn't lacking - it's just a shame that the script isn't as feasible, or as tightly-plotted as a good thriller requires.
Will Ash has almost the entire script on his shoulders and he does a great job with the range of emotions he has to make convincing - but there are moments in the film where the audience didn't know whether to laugh or wince in disbelief.
Tonderai is clearly making a point about social responsibility here, which is a great thematic vehicle (pardon the pun) for a thriller - but you can't help thinking that something of smaller scope would have gone a longer way. You don't necessarily need a fancy car to go on a good ride.
Kate Coffey
