Road to Hell (2008)

Simply A Masterpiece

Absolutely the worst movie.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

ROAD TO HELL is Albert Pyun's spiritual sequel to Walter Hill's cult hit STREETS OF FIRE, however, 'sequel' is not a term that suits it well. While Pyun brings back characters from the original film he has made every effort to create a whole new universe for them and presents us with a vibrant and textured piece of surrealism. Tom Cody (Michael Pare) returns after two decades away at war, in search of forgiveness and redemption. He is a different man to the one we met all those years ago and he travels with a heavy burden. The weight of death is his companion and he finds himself in a strange, desolate landscape. Along a seemingly endless stretch of highway with vivid multicoloured skies he is under the ever watchful eye of Gabriel, the archangel, who guides him home. During his travels he crosses paths with two serial killer femme-fatales who attempt to seduce him as a violent power- play unfolds with dark secrets being revealed.The opening title cards declare "A different time. A different place. Still a rock 'n roll fable!" and they serve as an important reminder that the film stands alone. Viewers expecting a faithful recreation of STREETS OF FIRE will be sorely disappointed, however, people looking for something audacious and original are in for a treat. The fundamental elements that made Walter Hill's film so wonderful are still ever-present as Pyun recaptures the otherworldly colours and fantasy-driven violence while shrouding the narrative in a strong eclectic rock & roll ambiance. The final act, just as the original film, is comprised of live concert footage which solidifies the film as a continuation. Where Pyun has been smart is in exploiting all of these conventions and presenting them in a new, twisted and confronting way. Where STREETS OF FIRE was a fantasy driven action film, ROAD TO HELL is its surreal hellish-horror bastard child.It's awesome to see Michael Pare and Deborah Van Vulkenburgh reprising their roles and both seem totally invested in the story. They are supported by Clare Kramer (BIG ASS SPIDER), Courtney Peldon (FROZEN), Roxy Gunn (THE ROXY GUNN PROJECT) and Joei Fulco (HEIDI). It's also great to hear Pyun regular Norbert Weisser (SCHINDLER'S LIST) offering his voice to an on-camera interview portion of the film.ROAD TO HELL's production has been a long and arduous process, which has seen multitudes of cuts produced. It made its first appearance on the festival circuit in 2008 and has since gone through various edits, few of which made it to public exhibition. It has taken 6 years for the final cut to arrive and anyone familiar with Pyun's rapid production turn-arounds will understand that there is more to this film than most of his others. It has been a true labor of love. Over the years his reputation has been in a perpetual state of fluctuation and while average movie- goers dismiss his work, the more astute b-movie fans appreciate and value the incredible contribution he has made during his 30+ year career (52 films). ROAD TO HELL is his opus. It is not a perfect film by any means, but it is his most personal. There are things that could have been done differently to enhance its cohesion, but it's the imperfections that make it so fearless. I have been fortunate enough to have seen a few of the previous cuts and I can assure you that this final one is the strongest.Watching the film once is not enough and it benefits from multiple viewings. The poetic nature of the narrative needs to be absorbed, as opposed to simply being viewed. It is a nightmarish existential form of expression, built upon a strong foundation and lovers of the weird, wonderful and bizarre ought to lap it up.

I was in town visiting a friend and we happen to walk past an indie theater in down town Albuquerque after eating dinner. We saw the poster for a film called "Road To Hell" was about to start and took a chance that it was decent. The theater was a dump in that Indy vibe way. The director (I think) introduced the film and then it started with recollection look at Streets of Fire which I'd never seen let alone heard of before. Then Road to Hell started. Wow was it different. I'll have nightmares for weeks as it was probably the darkest film I'd ever seen. Its like if Rodriquez and Tarantino or maybe that crazy dutch filmmaker (can't remember his name) who makes those sick art films like Anti-Christ, made a Human Centipede. This movie is just insane with dark moments where your not sure if you can take it. But what makes it work is the amazing camera work. I thought it was the most interesting photography I may have ever seen in a movie. There were a few dodgy shots but taken its entirety, remarkable.Imagine the best surreal art come to life. That's Road to Hell. Had good but not great songs. Did not like the singer who played Ellen. The tight close ups of her face revealed too much nose ring to the point where I could stand it. Its also her songs were sappy but some were effective. Watching her act was better than watching her sing. Pare can do these parts in his sleep. He was solid and shows he's an actor. The bad bitch, Clare Cramer was super hot the way they shot her scenes. Good actress too. Not for everyone because its definitely in the artsy section of films but the photography made it a worthwhile 2 hours.

I saw this Wednesday night at the Rave Movie theater in Las Vegas. It was part of a local film festival and it was a big crowd. I actually snuck into the theater early to make sure I got a seat! The stars of the movie were there and the director reminded me of a long haired crazy kid because he was so excited. As they introduced the film, I hadn't realized it was inspired by another movie which I had never heard of. But they had a sort of time machine opening which definitely set you up for the main movie. What did I think? I think the audience knew more about it because they started cheering and applauding right from the start. So the feeling was really good, like when you go see a much anticipated blockbuster at midnight Thursday. Everyone seemed really into it. That got me into it too. The movie was like an LSD acid trip (though I have never taken any). It was the most intense colors and images I have seen since Into the Void. Like that film, this movie spent a lot of time taking you into its world and its reality. Highly stylized dialogue and acting it was not like anything I've ever seen before. Its the first movie I think I've seen where you could not assume where it was going second to second. It had moments o genuine shock and it was super disturbing at times, then towards the end it really switches gears and it carries you from the shock and horror into an almost joyful place. So it ends upbeat. I won't describe what happens as I think it doesn't translate to words. But I enjoyed it and the film was awarded a lot of awards after and I think its well deserved. The two main actors I had seen before but never like this. Its a film where you leave the theater exhilarated and energized by the style and story. Is it an art film? Yes, in the best sense, because it takes you to where you've never been and never expected to go. It's demanding on your brain and stomach. Not for those who want it all predictable and easy to digest. It's waaayy out there on the margins in the best way.

I saw this film earlier this month with Michael Pare and its makers in attendance. They all got up on stage before the film started, and it is amazing in retrospect how enthusiastic they were about this "unofficial sequel" to Streets of Fire, which we had all just watched Before RtH began. Road to Hell is an experimental film at best, and that's being kind. The cut we saw was just under an hour, so it was too long to be a short and too short to be a feature. It was entirely green screened, and lots of the shots came off looking like poorly constructed car commercials or automotive trade show sets, as nearly every shot in this "movie" centered around a jeep. The Jeep looked too new, as if they lacked the budget to rough up a Jeep for the production and used their own daily driver instead. Also, it's difficult to tell when you watch this whether there are two different jeeps or just one--did Tom Cody have his own Jeep in addition to the female lead's Jeep? I couldn't tell. The dialog was laced with f-bombs to the point of absurdity, and there is a needless and inexplicable exploration of violence against women which appears to me to be completely incongruous with the Tom Cody character. Mind you that I'm not in the least squeamish when it comes to seedy characters--I think Bukowski is great literature. In this case it's just that the makers of Road to Hell have only invested about 5 percent of whatever scant talent they have in this production. I give a 1/10 very rarely, but this film really does make another 1/10, No Holds Barred, look like Citizen Kane.