Director: Tesh Guttikonda and Mitch Oliver
Year: 2024
Country: Canada
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Slasher
Plot:
Heading out on vacation, a family hoping for a relaxing camping trip that will allow them a chance to reconnect only to be brought into the clutches of a family even crazier and more psychotic than they are and must resort to extreme measures to be the last family standing.
Review:
This was a fairly fun and solid indie with a lot to like about it. One of the better aspects of this one is the series of subversive tactics that are employed throughout here due to the immensely familiar setup featured. As we get a rather stereotypical starting point with the nice, loving family on vacation trying to survive the trip stuck in the RV and looking for a chance to get out of their lives when they tumble upon the creepy stranger by the side of the road, this one paints a fairly solid and seemingly familiar setup, rather than go for that typical route, it introduces a fairly unique and intriguing twist that’s quite shocking for how it twists expectations away from what’s expected which goes nicely alongside the actual expected twist featured here so the story both gives off a surprising and unexpected setup for everything.
Once the film goes for the expected meet-up between the two sides and what to expect from the different families, there’s quite a lot to like here that goes for the series of unexpected interactions and reveals. When it becomes apparent to the guests that they’re far more unhinged than expected and looking to include the new family in their ritual, it feels immensely intriguing that there are dueling psychotic families here with how they set up the frantic and feverish finale where the series of interactions are far more exciting, chilling, and gruesome than expected as the battling family members wage war against each other to survive. As they each have the other down and out with plenty of brutal bloodshed and surprising outcomes that play out, there’s quite a lot to like with this one.
There aren’t too many flaws here but this one does have some issues. One of the main drawbacks with this one is the staggered pacing that doesn’t always leave this one with the smoothest experience. Fra too much of the second half here relies on the daughters trying to start a romantic relationship with each other that goes on way too long including plenty of scenes with them snuggling in bed and talking about their futures which comes off rather well in getting to know the two but just goes on way too long for what it sets out to accomplish. Likewise, there’s also the fate of the intervening police officer investigating the incidents which doesn’t fit into the rest of the story involving how the ending comes together, and with the film’s low-budget look and feel there are a few drawbacks bringing this down.
Overview: ***.5/5
A really fun and enjoyable indie effort, once this one gets going there’s a lot to like here even with the build-up taking quite a while to do that which is what holds it back the most. Those who are intrigued by the premise or are fans of this style will have a lot to enjoy here while most others out there might want to heed caution.
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