Road Kill(2010 film)

Road Kill
Australian theatrical release poster
Directed by	Dean Francis
Written by	Clive Hopkins
Produced by	Michael Robertson
Starring	Xavier Samuel Bob Morley Georgina Haig Sophie Lowe
Cinematography	Carl Robertson
Edited by	Rodrigo Balart
Music by	Rafael May
Production companies	ProdigyMovies Screen Australia The South Australian Film Corporation
Distributed by	Polyphony Entertainment
Release date	28 May 2010(2010-05-28)
Running time	90 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English

Road Kill,known asRoad Trainin Australia, is a 2010 Australianhorror filmdirected by Dean Francis and written by Clive Hopkins.It starsXavier Samuel,Bobby Morley,Georgina HaigandSophie Lowe.

Plot

Marcus (Xavier Samuel), his best friend Craig (Bobby Morley), and their friends, Liz (Georgina Haig) and Nina (Sophie Lowe) are driving through theAustralian outback.Craig and Nina made love with each other in the tent during morning, when Liz tried to make out with Marcus, but it is revealed Marcus have erectile disfunction. Aroad traincomes up behind theirJeep Cherokeeand pushes them off the road, breaking Craig's arm. The truck stops some distance up the road. The group approaches it, but the driver is nowhere to be found. Distant gunshots are heard, and a crazed figure in the bush screams and runs towards them. Panicked, they commandeer the truck and drive away. The truck's radio turns on by itself. After all four fall asleep, the truck drives itself off the road and up a hill. When they wake up, Nina looks after Craig while Liz leaves to search for a shack she's seen. Unable to start the truck, Marcus accompanies Liz.

Nina discovers the truck's fuel tanks are empty, but finds a large pipe underneath the trailer, filled with a mysterious red fluid. Craig, tormented by visions of the hellhoundCerberus,finds a key to the trailers. He opens and enters the rearmost trailer, only for the door to close itself behind him. Marcus and Liz have an argument over her having slept with Craig, causing Liz to storm off. Marcus stays on the road and has a run-in with the truck's driver, who shoots himself. Liz locates the rundown shack, where she finds unlabeled cans containing the red fluid. Thirsty, she drinks some but quickly runs back to the truck after finding bloody remains.

Liz and Nina try to start the truck, but Marcus, now bearing the driver's clothes and gun, tries to destroy it. The women overpower and tie him up. Craig emerges from the trailer and kills Marcus. The truck starts up again, and Nina tries to back it up. Liz stands at the rear to signal Nina, but eventually leaves to drink more red fluid. Nina, unable to see Liz, exits the cab and sees Craig, who tries to lure her into the rear trailer. Hearing Liz crying for help from inside, she pushes Craig in and locks the door. Eventually, after Nina turns the truck around, she stops and examines the front trailer. To her horror, she discovers it is anabattoirwhere human bodies, including Marcus's, are ground into the red fluid that fuels the truck. Shocked, she returns to the cab and keeps driving.

Nina spots a car and signals them for help. The truck radio turns on again, distracting Nina long enough to allow Craig and Liz to break into the cab. As the three fight, Craig rams the truck into the car. Liz is thrown from the cab by Nina, who is then knocked out. When Nina awakens, she finds Craig dragging Liz's body to the trailer. He tries to persuade her to help, rambling of a "magnificent opportunity". Nina instead flees, but Craig slams her head on the side of the cab. He drags her into the trailer, but she manages to defend herself and flees into the bush. Craig pursues and catches Nina, but she kills him with the truck driver's gun. As Nina emerges from the bush, she spots the couple from the wrecked car examining the truck. She runs toward them, screaming warnings. The couple, having been run off the road, hearing distant gunshots, and seeing a screaming figure running towards them, commandeer the truck and drive off, leaving Nina to watch in horror as the bloody cycle repeats itself.

Cast

• Xavier Samuelas Marcus
• Bob Morleyas Craig
• Sophie Loweas Nina
• Georgina Haigas Liz
• David Argueas Psycho

Production

Road Killwas shot inAdelaide,South Australia andFlinders Ranges.Michael Robertson produced the film for ProdigyMovies,Screen Australiaand The South Australian Film Corporation.

Release

The film premiered at theDungog Film Festival.Road Trainwas re-titled in the US asRoad Kill.The US premiere had the film as part of theFangoria Fright Feston 22 June 2010.It is set to be released by Lightning Entertainment on 6 August 2010 in the United States via DVD,Video on Demand and Digital download.The film was released in the United Kingdom on 30 August 2010.

Reception

In a negative review,Dread Centralwrote, "Despite a promising beginning with potentially interesting characters and a creepy, intimidating concept (a sinister road train),Road Killsquanders its potential by hurling itself off the rails, descending into rank absurdity. "The Australianwas more positive, comparing it to an earlySteven Spielbergfilm,Duel,and noting the promise of the filmmakers.

Soundtrack

The score was composed by Australian filmmusic artist Rafael May.

See also

• Cinema of Australia
• Upír z FeratuandBlood Car,two films about cars that use blood for fuel
• Blood Drive,a TV series centered on a road race with cars that use blood for fuel

External links

• Official website
• Road KillatIMDb