In SOUTHBOUND, various travelers along a remote stretch of desert road are on a collision course with their sins. Somehow, this little 2016 indie horror gem got past me, but I was happy to finally catch it, as it turned out to be a ton of fun.
The movie is actually an anthology of stories, though it doesn’t feel like one, as each story seamlessly blends into the next. The result is a different take on the theme–a patch of ground that is something like a very real Hell on Earth–resulting in an intriguing mythology that develops over the course of the film.
In one story, two men on the run flee from what appear to be angels of death. In another, three members of a band break down on the road and are given a lift by a nice but strange couple. And more. I don’t want to say more as knowing little going into the film makes for some nice surprises.
Besides the variety in storytelling, the anthology approach also works well here in that there’s no lengthy act one–you’re thrown right into the story. While this sacrifices some getting to know and care about the characters, it keeps the pace brisk and the mood tense.
On the downside, it’s clearly an indie production. Overall, the production quality is pretty good, but some of the acting is a little uneven.
Overall, I had a lot of fun with SOUTHBOUND and recommend it.
Leave a Reply