The Place For The Latest Movie Reviews
Cast: Ace Marrero, Katie Stegeman, Lionel D. Carson
Dan and Mindy Summers are on a road trip along a desolate mountain highway when Dan is forced to exit the SUV to remove a dead tree blocking their path. Before he can get back inside, he and Mindy find themselves held hostage on the side of the road, trapped in their car by a mysterious, unseen gunman. They must fight for their lives in a sadistic game of cat and mouse set against a backdrop of numbing cold, pitch darkness and raw terror.
"Roadside" is a thriller that tells the story of Dan and Mindy Summer who take to the road to visit Dan's sister for the Christmas holiday. They do not seem to be getting a long very well during the trip and Dan may or may not be having an affair that Mindy is suspicious about, and Mindy is pregnant as well. When they stop for gas they have a scary encounter with a stranger but a cop on the scene tells them to ignore him. Later as they are driving a tree appears in the middle of the road but when Dan gets out of the car to move it someone in the woods fires upon him and the two are instantly held hostage in the middle of nowhere.
The film seemed to have some good buzz about it so I was looking forward to checking it out but I ended up a little disappointed. For starters they story is not anything original but I do not think that will be a problem with those renting or buying the film. What I do think will be a problem for some is that the film is a slow burn. Not a lot happens besides a lot of talking and the dialogue is not as good as it could of been.
Now do not get me wrong, I did enjoy the film for the most part and I thought the acting was very good. The film also does a very good job at hiding the identity of the crazed gunman until the very end which was impressive considering there was not many suspects to choose from. It also manages to come up with some good suspense and tension especially towards the end of the story but there is a bit too much drama going on in the middle.
Still there is more to like than not so if you like this sort of thriller then I recommend checking it out. Directed and written by Eric England (Contracted, Madison County), the film stars Ace Marrero, Katie Stegeman and Lionel D. Carson. Available on DVD, you can order it HERE.
Released by Image Entertainment
** 3/4 Out Of *****