Black Cab

Holy heck this was a tough watch. And quite a bizarre one too I have to say. On the one hand you have a lame duck of a horror movie with almost nothing to offer, yet amongst all that you have the natural charisma of Nick Frost doing everything it can to shine through. Could he do enough to save it? He could not.

This movie just didn't work on any level. It wasn't intriguing, it wasn't scary or mysterious or tense. It was just a nothing ride. And frankly quite an unpleasant one too. All the characters were highly detestable people and not a lot of fun to spend 90 minutes with.

For whatever reason the British do not seem to do horror all that well. I've seen very few British horror movies over the years that I've actually enjoyed and 'Black Cab' was certainly not one of them. 4/10.

If you're in the mood for a horror film that can't quite decide if it wants to terrify you with supernatural spooks or send a chill down your spine with a serial killer's knife, then "Black Cab" might just be your ride. Unfortunately, the film is a bit like a taxi that keeps circling the block without ever quite reaching its destination.

The plot centers around Anne (Synnøve Karlsen) and Patrick (Luke Norris), an estranged couple who, during a night out, find themselves at the mercy of a seemingly genial cab driver played by Nick Frost. As the evening takes an unnerving turn, the couple realizes they've been abducted and trapped on a remote, haunted road where the lines between the driver's dark motives and supernatural elements blur. What follows is a mix of psychological tension and paranormal confusion that leaves both the characters and audience guessing.

Frost's portrayal of the cab driver is one of the movie's biggest draws. Fans of his unique blend of humor and menace will appreciate his commitment to the role. He brings his usual wit while trying to wrap it in dread that spices up the film's first half, though his character never quite reaches its full potential. Despite Frost's best efforts, the script holds him back from transcending into the truly chilling villain the story needs. His performance wavers between sinister charm and overplayed ambiguity, resulting in a character that feels like a missed opportunity for horror greatness.

Goggins' direction is atmospheric, particularly in the way he captures the claustrophobic, isolated road setting, utilizing fog-drenched landscapes and eerie silences to ramp up suspense. However, this careful crafting is somewhat undercut by a plot that cannot decide whether it wants to be a paranormal ghost story or a gritty tale of abduction and human depravity. The film oscillates between these two horror subgenres without committing to either, leaving viewers with a sense of narrative whiplash.

The pacing suffers as a result, with the first half filled with promise and taut, well-measured suspense, while the second half devolves into a somewhat chaotic scramble of revelations that don't fully deliver. I found myself nodding off at times, because there is just a lot of driving down a dark road throughout the film.

In the end, "Black Cab" is a film that will intrigue those who enjoy layered suspense and are fans of Nick Frost's distinctive approach to dark roles. Certainly an ok one time watch.

Rating Breakdown: Story - 1.00 :: Direction - 1.25 :: Pacing - 0.75 :: Performances - 1.25 :: Entertainment - 1.00 :::: TOTAL - 5.25/10

Horror movies should do one of two things: terrify you or, at the very least, keep you engaged. Black Cab (2024), unfortunately, does neither. Instead, it's a sluggish, uninspired supernatural thriller that feels like being stuck in the world's longest and most awkward taxi ride, only instead of fearing for your life, you're just wishing the journey would end.

The premise had potential: a young woman, Anne (Synnøve Karlsen), takes a ride in a cab that turns out to be more than just a mode of transport. It should have been a tense, psychological horror about isolation and the supernatural. Instead, it's a mystery that forgets to drop clues and a ghost story that forgets to be scary. The pacing is painfully slow, and while director Bruce Goodison does have an eye for lighting and atmosphere, it's not enough to salvage the film's plodding nature.

Nick Frost as the sinister cab driver is the best thing about this film, though for the wrong reasons. Rather than playing his role with the chilling subtlety it needed, he instead delivers a performance best described as Ghost Story: The Pantomime Edition. He overacts to the point of absurdity, making it impossible to take him seriously. Meanwhile, Synnøve Karlsen, as our protagonist, plays her role with such visible disinterest that you'd think she wandered onto set by accident and was too polite to leave.

Ultimately, Black Cab is a film that squanders its premise, fumbles its horror, and crawls at a pace that makes even the slowest taxi meter look like it's running on turbo mode. Unless you've already watched Pulse for the umpteenth time and are desperate for something new, this is one ride you might want to skip.

Too bad. I'm sure there's a good film that could be chiseled out of Black Cab, but that remains to be seen. Maybe in the hands of a better writer, editor and director, Black Cab could've been thrilling enough to warrant a sequel.

Atmospherically, the set designers got that right with their oodles of moody/rainy darkness. Where the film falls apart is in its unoriginality. You could see where the driver was heading from a mile away. There was also nothing new about the ghosts and there were too many loose ends to consider Black Cab complete.

The general acting ranged from okay to annoying. As a former taxi driver, I watched this movie based on its description alone without reading any reviews on IMDb. I should have next time.

I'm going to have to make this a fast review. I just watched this film and it actually knocked me out. I don't even understand how or if it really ended. I don't understand what happened 2 the main character. What a piece of garbage. I'm really disappointed. I've never seen Nick frost in something so awful!

I thought black fun was awful. This was just as bad. I guess it's got something to do with the name maybe?

Anyway, once again, i'm really disappointed in this film, and I advise you to not waste your time. If you're looking for a good watch, this ain't it.

I'm just now adding this little blurb because it's telling me my review is too short and I can't can't honestly think of anything else to say so blah blah blah.