If the ritualistic nature of horror means higher tolerance for cliche in the genre, director Andy Fickman runs with that in this brash but increasingly shambolic slasher. You’ve probably heard it all before: a clique of supremely annoying twentysomethings convene for party girl Olivia’s (Crystal Lake Evans) birthday, and head to music festival Blue Light. With the posse packed into her boyfriend Michael’s (Jarrett Austin Brown) RV, Sarah (Amber Janea) and Gaby (Ana Zambrana) – Black and Latina respectively – wind up a couple of bigoted rednecks en route. And that’s before the more cautious Carrie (Bella DeLong) and former marine Jason (John Bucy) ask for directions in the proverbial Backwoods Bar Where Everyone Stops and Stares.
Delivered in an overcranked performance style reminiscent of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead, there’s something moreish at first about this trope box-ticking. Despite the parodic tang, it never goes full Scream self-referential – though it’s clear what’s coming when the RV breaks down on a country road where there is no cellphone coverage. Under siege from bestial, possibly supernatural forces, latent divisions in the group open up. But apart from straight arrow Jason, Fickman – who also scripted – doesn’t layer in enough contrasting personalities in this mobile bitchfest. Nominal audience-sympathy-anchor Carrie, especially, is badly underdrawn.
