Purgatory Road

I admire Unearthed Films' dedication to extreme horror, but if they release many more movies as mediocre as Purgatory Road, my appreciation will quickly wane. It's not that the film doesn't have promise - the plot certainly has some interesting ideas and Marcus Koch's makeup effects are decent - but the execution is weak, writer/director Mark Savage taking an overly portentous approach that really isn't a good idea when the cast is so wooden.

The film opens with youngster Vincent (Michael Lebeau) disturbing a female thief in the process of snaffling his father's entire savings; in shock, all he can do is look on as the woman leaves the house with the cash. When his father discovers what has happened, he is so distraught that he takes a shotgun to his head - right in front of Vincent and his younger brother Michael (Jacob Craig Bullock).

Years later, Vincent (now played by Gary Cairns) and Michael (Luke Albright) operate a church on wheels, where they listen to confessions and collect donations. All sins are absolved, except for theft: still feeling guilty about having done nothing as a child, Vincent slaughters the light-fingered, chopping up their bodies and feeding them to his father, who is somehow still alive and living in the basement of their home.

Michael helps his brother in his sick undertaking, but wants to quit, having fallen for waitress Ruby (Sylvia Grace Crim). His relationship with Vincent becomes strained when psycho Mary Francis (Trista Robinson) enters the picture, wanting to assist Vincent in ridding the world of those who steal.

I'm guessing that, like much of Unearthed Films' output, the intention of Purgatory Road was to disturb with its realism, but the poor performances and dreary pace mean that the viewer never becomes invested enough in what is happening to actually care about the characters. Savage clearly wanted to make a serious horror, but I can't help but feel that his story of a murderous priest would have benefited from a far trashier style, with the emphasis on excess in every department.

I really enjoyed this Indie Horror film! It's a scary entertaining ride with well written killer wack jobs. I recommend this film to those that love the horror genre and those that don't, there is enough entertainment to keep your eyes glued to the screen either way. Two thumps up!

Nicely shot! I'd love to know the camera and assorted sordid details, but that's not really "reviewy" of me. This is a taut horror thriller with enough blood and pathos to make it worth the watch. In rural Mississippi, tragedy begets tragedy. A young priest with a blistered past meets his assassin-siren. What could possibly go wrong? Thanks to my buddy Greg for the nod on this film.

This is a good bad movie. Stiff Acting and dialogue make this an instant cult classic.

7/10🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠🌠 From the gate you know this film isn't a blockbuster but the cinematography and sound is on point the pace is perfect and the acting fits the mood of the film like a glove. The two brothers do a good job acting but Trista Robinson who plays Psycho Mary is outstanding and steals the show. The storyline has enough development throughout to keep your interest growing which was surprising to say the least. Of course there are moments when the budget shows it's hand on some of the action sequences when the amateur extras or characters with small roles look very fake performing a death scene but most do a pretty good job. With a mix of religion, romance, Psychotic behavior, gore, vampirism, mild necrophilia, dark comedy and deformities this hidden gem touches a wide spectrum of entertainment. The movie is a bit playful and doesn't take it's self too seriously which adds to the charm but it stays firm and does everything with poise so you don't feel dumb or disrespected when watching. For most "Purgatory Road" is a good horror film that will catch you off guard and entertain you for a couple hrs. But for indie horror fans this flick will be a real treat. For that crowd I would highly recommend it.