SOUTHBOUND
Road kills
released OUT NOW! 2015 | 18 | Blu-ray/dVd Directors radio silence, roxanne Benjamin, david Bruckner, Patrick Horvath Cast Kate Beahan, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, susan Burke
Five stories, one deserted highway… But not that deserted or we wouldn’t have this horror anthology, whose novelty is that the tales are interconnected – sometimes cleverly, sometimes less so. Steer clear if you dislike night shoots or a sometimes unclear narrative.
We start with “The Way Out”, in which two thugs are caught up in a Twilight Zone-type scenario involving a roadside cafe that just won’t go away. The highlight: monsters that are like scarier versions of the Reapers from Doctor Who’s “Father’s Day”. “Siren” follows a familiar pattern – three girls in a van break down and are taken in by a weird couple – but is entertaining enough.
“The Accident” is the pick, a tense and unusual story of a driver, an injured girl and a mobile phone that may or may not be connected to medical services. It just goes on a tad too long. Rescue yarn “Jailbreak” doesn’t amount to much, and, finally, “The Way In” is little more than a nasty route back to the first story. Southbound’s circular nature thus invites a rewatch, but you may be able to resist making the whole journey again.
Extras Commentary by all the directors. Russell Lewin
Keep ’em peeled for the film showing on a television in the cafe early on: it’s cult 1962 horror Carnival Of Souls.