'Southbound' Review

Anthology films have been around for decades, from Dead of Night to V/H/S, they have proven to be a popular genre of horror even today. One of the most recent of these anthology horrors is a little film called Southbound which follows 5 intertwining tales of terror all set around the same mysterious desert road. After having heard many good things about Southbound, I decided to finally give it a watch today and I was pleasantly surprised at how fresh and entertaining it was. While the film is oozing with tension and atmosphere, along with having some very bloody moments, it also takes a completely new route in terms of story which makes it all the more unpredictable and exciting.

The film is split up into 5 very different segments that are carefully woven together, the first segment 'The Way Out' directed by Radio Silence follows 2 men on the run from mysterious floating demons. 'Siren', directed by Roxanne Benjamin then follows 3 girls who spend the night at a mysterious couples home after their van breaks down, this runs directly into David Bruckner's 'The Accident' where a man must put his skills to the test in order to save a young girls life. The fourth, and weakest segment 'Jailbreak' directed by Patrick Horvath sees a man desperately searching for his lost sister while the fifth and final segment 'The Way In', also by Radio Silence, sees a family come under attack by a trio of masked men. The segments are all very different in terms of plot however, they all share the same gritty style and dark tone which adds a sense of consistency to the film. Along with that, the transitions between the segments are all quite clever and each segment flows seamlessly into the next. It's a very well structured film that differs a lot from most anthologies and works extremely well.

It is a very suspenseful film and although it's an anthology, it is paced much like any other horror film. The first segment sets the tone and the atmosphere, the second (and my personal favourite) sees tension slowly build before flowing into the third segment that is incredibly suspenseful and blood soaked. Sadly the film slacks a bit in the fourth segment which is a bit disappointing considering how well it had been doing until then, but thankfully the climax makes up for it with an unexpected plot twist of sorts. All of the directors do a superb job at building suspense which is only amplified by the chilling synthy score by The Gifted, the whole film has this The Hitcher meets Carnival of Souls vibe that works really well (the latter even appears a couple of times on tele throughout the film). The cast all do wonderful jobs in their respective roles, I particularly enjoyed the eeriely eccentric couple Betty and Dale (Susan Burke and Davey Johnson respectively), and Mather Zickel's Lucas who finds himself being pushed to both his physical and psychological limits while attempting to save a young woman's life. Oh and of course I must give a mention to the husky-voiced radio DJ voiced by Larry Fessenden, he provides some truly memorable and clever dialogue throughout.

This is a film that is full of mystery and intrigue, right from the get go we are plunged into this bizarre story without any context or information. This is a continuing trend throughout the film, as we slip into each segment we find ourselves smack bang in the middle of a story that is already in motion and before we can get any explanation or resolve we find ourselves slipping out of that segment and into the next like some twisted dream. It is this sense of uncertainty and fear of the unknown that the film thrives off, it leaves viewers pondering and forming their own conclusions instead of providing each segment with traditional narrative closure. 'Less is more' as the old saying goes. If you're expecting to get some sort of final resolve at the end of it all as you may be disappointed, the film doesn't exactly end in the traditional sense (I don't want to give away too much), but it works and keeps in line with the rest of the films narrative. If you're the type of person who insists on a traditional ending and narrative then I'd skip this one, but if you're open to something completely different then this is the film for you.

Southbound is a stylish and fresh film that teases the senses and stimulates the mind. While it does occasionally get caught in the pitfalls of typical horror tropes and slacks a bit in the final act, it brings something new to the table and manages to keep a consistent atmosphere of dread for the most part. Its score and cinematography give it a distinctive 80's style that makes it aesthetically pleasing as well. The narrative is a bit out there and will not appeal to everybody, but if you go into Southbound with an open mind then you may find yourself feeling pleasantly surprised by the results. Another brilliantly original horror anthology.