ROAD GAMES on DVD from Monday 29th Aug. 2016 and on VOD & for download from Friday 26th Aug. 2016.
ROAD GAMES is a peculiar and unnerving horror thriller. A serial killer is running rampage in rural France. Who will be the next victim we are made to think?
First up is lost British hitchhiker Jack (Andrew Simpson) – is he the killer? When he partners up with Veronique (Josephine de La Baume) they are soon happy with the notion of safety in numbers. Is she the killer? Eventually, they get lucky when a Frenchman driving a British number plated car, Grizard (Frederic Pierrot) offers them a ride. Is he the killer? The choice of car is a great curveball to throw at our hitchhikers and audience alike. When they make it back to his house, they meet Mary (Barbara Crampton). She’s American, not British so hardly explains the car – more mystery and story chicanery is carried into the next few scenes.
There’s a dark turn for Jack at the hands of Grizard and Mary, but it’s not fatal. Obligated to protect Veronique he returns to the house to save her.
Gentle synthesised electronica gives the score an 80s genre feel, the remote French countryside setting and lack of modern day gadgets like cell phones make the action seem out of time with the present day.
From what we learn about the characters we initially meet, who knows what is held back for as long as possible. However, once the twists and reveals are known, all the oddness and eccentricity of Grizard and Mary in particular make sense looking back and moving forward from that point.
But none of this obviously sets up the barmy ending. It shouldn’t be as divisive as Alexandre Aja’s flip flop in 2003’s Switchblade Romance, but it comes close to being that out of blue.
For some 2015 Frightfesters the screening of cult classic Captain Kronos was a chance to belatedly celebrate the life of writer Brian Clemens - he sadly passed away in January 2015. However, with ROAD GAMES it appears his spirit lives on in this Anglo English/French movie that has more than just a passing resemblance to his 1970 murderous romp around France’s countryside: “And Soon the Darkness.”
ROAD GAMES on DVD from Monday 29th Aug. 2016 and on VOD & for download from Friday 26th Aug. 2016.
Stuart Wright
@LeytonRocks
Road Games is directed by Abner Pastoll and stars Andrew Simpson (Rebellion, Notes From A Scandal), Joséphine de La Baume (Rush, Kiss Of The Damned, One Day), Frédéric Pierrot (The Returned, Sarah’s Key) and Barbara Crampton (Re-animator, You’re Next, From Beyond).
For more info on all the FrightFest Presents titles go to: www.frightfestpresents.com
For full FrightFest 2016 programme details and timetables go to: www.frightfest.co.uk
For a list of all the British horror films at FrightFest 2016 go to:www.britflicks.com/Blog/23895
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