Rest Stop (2006)
- written December 2006
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Summary: Nicole and Jess have just ran away from home and they’re off to something more beautiful. It’s a shame they will never get there. After a long trip, they end up at a rest stop on a back road. Nicole goes to use the restrooms and Jess and his car disappear. Nicole is stranded and soon finds herself not exactly as alone as she might have hoped. Her company is a killer who is looking to kill her and play games, and not necessarily in that order.
Overall: Well this is my revised review of the film. I watched the film on DVD, the 3 endings and wrote my review. 2 years pass. Then about 10 minutes into the sequel I got thoroughly confused. That 2nd film starts off with the family in the Winnebago and then we see a frame that says “35 years later.” Whoa!!! I was like “huh?” So I watched about another 60 seconds, had to turn it off and re-read my original review. And then do some research about the film and finally I exclaimed “Oh my…” So...(SPOILERS)...let me tell you what this film is actually about. And I’m doing this, not only because I missed the clues the first time, it’s quite obvious most people missed them too. For 20yrs, KZL303/Driver (1950’s when Tracy went missing until 1970’s) was killing as a human. Then in the 1970’s "the family" got a hold of him and killed him. He then was resurrected (somehow) into a demon/immortal killer, comes back and kills the family and then continues killing people in this new bodily state. Everyone Nicole comes into contact with, is dead…ghosts. Which is why everyone who died at the rest stop continues to appear (sorta like a “ghost ship” – doomed to forever roam). Then when she dies, she’ll be a ghost also, and hence part 2 starts. With this in mind, I find the film both a bit more intriguing and yet, a little more disappointing. Without “spoilers” or “hints,” I don’t think the film contains enough information for a horror film fan to have gotten the full story the first time. How was he resurrected? Why so little hints as to chronology? How did Driver get resurrected? In fact, part of that back story is both located in the final credits as well as on a DVD featurette. In other words, movie theatre goers wouldn’t not have caught these clues. So that makes the film not as good because they’re relying on tricks to move their story along. However, with this knowledge, it makes some of the plot holes re: other victims make much more sense now. So in that regard, I tend to like the premise more. Now onto my other critiques…the girl spends almost the entire movie by herself or with other victims. But the killer spends almost no time with her. And...you just get this idea that whatever you may do if in her shoes, it wouldn’t be returning to the same scary, desolate rest-stop 85 times. You may just eventually just start walking and not turn back. My biggest problem with the film is that we watch Nicole walk into the restroom about 5 times replaying the same emotions. The DVD includes 3 alternate endings. Frankly, given what the film is truly about...the theatrical one makes the most sense. The alternate endings...just don’t do in the grand scheme of the plot given the rest stop is like a ghostly area and she’s gonna die there anyway. Comparison: Duel meets Wolf Creek |
Links to other sites at The Sinning Room
Rest Stop Review Page
Rest Stop 2 Review Page
Horror Films L-Z Review Page
Horror Films Review Page
