STORY: Emily (Hutchinson) and Leslie (Whitburn) are besties who embark on a long road trip in order to join some other friends for a party. As they hurtle along in their red Mustang on a lonely highway in the American Northwest, their journey takes a turn for the worse. They come across and are harassed by the driver of a big-rig tow truck. It soon becomes a matter of life and death for the girls.

MOVIE REVIEW: This film is said to be a take on Steven Spielberg’s 1971 TV movie Duel, but apart from borrowing the premise of road rage taken to the extreme, that’s where similarities end. Duel’s sole male protagonist is now swapped for two party girls, whose road trip is meant to culminate in a weekend of debauchery and fun. Leslie is the wilder one, who swallows ale and inhales weed with rapacious glee, even though designated driver Emily tut-tuts her and urges moderation. But Leslie has no patience – even for a lumbering tow truck that obstructs their speed and path – and bounces around in her seat impatiently like a simian on speed.

Their anger turns into fear when they realize that the rig’s driver is seemingly out to kill them. Why that is so, is never explained but we get a glimpse of his (or her?) diabolical bent thanks to shots of an upside down crucifix and a pentagram. The girls forget about the partying and try to save their lives. The film starts out promisingly but later, becomes a bit tedious, thanks to a somewhat repetitive pattern in the narrative. There’s also a lot less action than what such a film could promise. Sure, the film is low budget and corners are cut, but thankfully, at least the POV shots from the Mustang are passable even though the stunts are nonexistent as is a sense of intensity, buildup and climax.

The film’s only plus points are a few jump scares, slickness and the scenic great outdoors, where it was shot. Apart from that, there’s little else to recommend.