Dead End

It's pretty obvious that someone had a lot of fun making this film. There's a hint of dark comedy, the "Twilight Zone" feel that pervades almost all the reviews here at Amazon.com, and a cliché-riddled film that actually works if you set back and enjoy. Apparently given a pretty limited budget, first time co-directors Jean-Baptiste Andrea and Fabrice Canepa have pulled together a horror film that pays homage to a mixture of films in the vein of the Twilight Zone meets Rosemary's Baby. You might also blend in a little "CHRISTINE" (ala Stephen King) and then you'll have the general idea.

The film stars Ray Wise (SAVANNAH) as Frank Harrington. He's driving his family (wife, two kids - one a punk teenage boy and the other a young adult psychiatrist - and a boyfriend of their daughter's) to a Christmas gathering at his mother-in-law's house. Along the way, though, Frank decides to take a detour, a shortcut, down an old country road, and he does this while everyone else in the car is asleep. And when they awaken, the road seems to go on forever and ever and ever. Hmm. Strange, too, that all of their watches have stopped at 7:30pm.

Soon they discover a pretty young lady dressed all in white standing alongside this endless road, and she's cradling a well-swathed baby in her arms. And when they stop to see if she needs help, all hell breaks loose. Their daughter's boyfriend vanishes, and soon a hearse comes slowly trundling by and, as it passes, everyone sees the boyfriend pounding his bloody hands on the rear window. The family jumps back into their car and races after the hearse, only to hit a big speed bump a few miles down the road. Or was that a speed bump? Uh-oh. It was the boyfriend, and he's nearly mangled beyond recognition.

Soon the car's occupants/family begin to disappear, almost always after spotting the lady in white. Why doesn't the road ever end? Why are they all being forced into this hearse? Why is this lady in white attached to them somehow? Why does time seemed to have stopped?

Like I said earlier, lot's of cliché-style answer await you, but that doesn't detract from the enjoyment of watching this dark, dark, mildly comedic horror tale. Popcorn? Check. Lights off? Check. Loved one sitting nearby ready to scream? Check. You're ready!

"Dead End," a new release by Lions Gate, is a low-budget, independent horror film by French writers / directors Jean-Baptiste Andrea and Fabrice Canepa that introduces audiences to the dysfunctional Harrington family as they embark on their annual Christmas Eve road trip to Grandmother's house. The films stars veteran actor Ray Wise as patriarch Frank Harrington, Lin Shaye as matriarch Laura, Mick Cain as son Richard, Alexandra Holden as daughter Marion, and Billy Asher as future son-in-law Brad Miller. "Dead End" also stars Amber Smith as the lady in white, Karen S. Gregan as Dr. Helen Marcott, and Steve Valentine as the collector.

All hell breaks loose on the Harrington family's journey to Laura's mother's house on Christmas Eve when, for the first time in twenty years, Frank decides to take a shortcut. The real fun begins, however, when Frank falls asleep at the wheel and narrowly misses a collision with an oncoming vehicle. As he begins to drive away, he glimpses the white figure of a young woman standing in the woods, clutching a baby in her arms. Frank stops the car to see if she is alright. Unable to get the young woman to speak, he suggests that they (the Harringtons) should find help, as she has a large cut on her forehead and appears to be in shock. This pit stop marks the beginning of the massacre that the film "Dead End" recounts.

It's hard to believe that "Dead End" was made in 2003, as it employs virtually no special effects. This film relies instead on dialogue comprised of dark humor and clever one-liners as well as the emotional and often comedic reactions of the characters to the unnaturally strange situations in which they are put to propel the story of the Harrington family's journey forward. Horror film enthusiasts accustomed to the sights of corpses and disconnected appendages will find themselves quite surprised by how little they see of those that are killed in the film. French writers / directors Andrea and Canepa instead rely solely on the creepy events that unfold and the characters' physical and emotional reactions to those events and each other to intensify audience's fears.

The cinematography works similarly, as it does not rely on glitzy or heavily choreographed camera shots to further the eeriness of "Dead End." Instead, an infinite number of sometimes-grainy close-ups are used to reveal the characters' emotions and intensify the audience's fears. This is only one of many examples of how writers / directors Andrea and Canepa worked to find cheaper (and sometimes ingenious) alternatives to the high-budget blood, guts, and gore that are commonly used to scare audiences today. Their reliance on cinematography to foster character development and drive the plot of "Dead End" proves fruitful, as audiences will find themselves just as (if not more) scared by these things as they would have been by the gruesome and highly expensive antics used to drive the storylines of other horror films today. The infrequent aerial shots of the car traveling through the woods are also noteworthy, as they point out how alone the Harringtons truly are on their never-ending journey down this desolate road to nowhere.

Seasoned horror film enthusiasts are likely to see the ending of the film coming long before it ever arrives, as everything that happens in "Dead End" points to the revelations made in its final moments. However, this predictability should not prevent audiences from seeing the film, as it possesses so much of the psychological horror that those of us who grew up with films like "The Exorcist," "Friday the 13th," and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" enjoy. Audiences will find Andrea and Canepa's attempts to appeal to some of our more basic fears successful. For example, every time that Frank Harrington stops the car, somebody else dies, which will have audiences clumsily locking their car doors the next time that they are driving down a desolate road late at night. Additionally, when the mysterious black car appears, audiences will be reminded that they shouldn't stop their cars on desolate roads either, especially when they see the screaming faces of the characters pressed against the back window (only moments before their bodies are dumped onto the road). These are only some of the examples of how Andrea and Canepa use low cost psychological horror to appeal to our fears in "Dead End."

Reviews of "Dead End" have been mixed, at best. Unfortunately, the film's predictability deterred many critics from deriving any pleasure from it. However, I enjoyed "Dead End" immensely, as in my opinion it remained true to the horror genre by provoking my basic fears through the portrayal of the psychologically horrific events that took place in the film. Sadly, comparisons have been made likening "Dead End" to the film "Wrong Turn," by 20th Century Fox, which was also made in 2003. This is rather unfortunate, as "Dead End" is a far superior film, and does not rely on an idiotic plot to drive audience's fears. Therefore, if you have seen "Wrong Turn," don't let any of the negative feelings that you have about that film prevent you from seeing "Dead End." My sense is that you will not be disappointed.

I really enjoyed this flick. It very deftly combined comedy with horror, which is no easy task. I was totally caught off guard by the humor. Most horror movies either have no humor, or the humor is poorly executed. I expected the same here, until I found myself busting out laughing at several scenes. The "do you have to suck on the bottle like that?" line starting things rolling and there were several others that elicited more than just a chuckle.
But a horror movie's main task is to frighten and scare you. This does that as well. Driving down a deserted road late at night makes for a nice setting. And as the events start happening to this family you can't help but feel their despair. Another thing I like is how they slowly start breaking down psychologically and turn on each other (some of the funniest lines come out here). And then you get the ending, which didn't turn me off like it did so many others.
Overall an enjoyable ride that I'd gladly take again and again.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 85 reviews  3.9 out of 5 stars