Roadkill
"Roadkill" - Directed by Warren Fast - (Uncork'd Entertainment)
This exciting, fast-moving film stars teenage actress Caitlin Carmichael and Ryan Knudson as "The Driver" and "The Drifter" respectively; the actual names of the characters they portray are never revealed. As The Driver, Carmichael is chipper and self-assured as she rocks down the highway in a muscle car, picking up Knudson on the way. The pair soon become the subjects of a manhunt for a serial killer known as the Highway Hunter, with cops suspecting that The Drifter may be the killer, especially since numerous murders take place where the pair have stopped, like at a service station and a cafe. The film reveals early though that Carmichael's character is directly involved in the carnage to some extent (and the film's poster shows her firing a gun.) So now the roles are reversed a little, with viewers thinking The Driver might be endangering The Drifter, instead of the other way around. Initially reticent, The Drifter is clearly getting scared as the road trip progresses and he's becoming ready to speak and act out. Both characters are portrayed via flashbacks to have been abused by a parent in their youth, so maybe either or neither is acting out a sort of revenge. Close calls ensue as the cops try to catch up with them and the cat and mouse game is thrilling, which ramps up the deviousness of the always-in-charge Driver. As the film nears its end the script telegraphs the ending a bit, or at least viewers will think it does. The ending though, with lots more carnage, is surprising and viewers will not see it coming. Knudson's character is purposely understated throughout while Carmichael, a veteran of dozens of films and TV shows like "Young Sheldon," plays her part with elan and is totally believable with her increasingly psychopathic behavior. "Roadkill" is available digitally and is also playing at select theaters.
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