Boy, am I glad to see an uncomplicated film that doesn't desperately try to follow the "twist in the end" trend. It appears that many horror flick these days try too hard to surprise the audience, even if that means offering a ridiculous ending and, thankfully, this was not the case.
In "Penny Dreadful", a young girl named Penny, who has a severe fear of cars, as a result of a traumatic accident, is willing to overcome her phobia, by going on a road trip with Orianna, her therapist. During an argument, Orianna accidentally hits a hitchhiker who was walking in the middle of the road and decides to stop to help. When she realizes that the traveler is actually in perfect conditions, Orianna decides to give the hitchhiker a ride as a modest way of apologizing. Unfortunately, the hitchhiker turns out to be a raging murderer who will turn the therapeutic experience into Hell on Earth. Given the circumstances, the thing that Penny fears the most, ends up becoming her only saving shelter from the psychopath who lurks outside.
Despite its simplicity, "Penny Dreadful" offers a small surprise that doesn't ruin the entire thing. I won't say it, of course... but there is one little surprise regarding the killer. I enjoyed this movie a lot, regardless of a few little things that appeared to be somewhat out of place and don't have any kind of connection to the story of Penny and Orianna.
Regarding the characters, I was glad to actually felt compelled to root for the good guys. One of the biggest problems with recent horror flicks is that the 'villains' are sometimes more interesting and sympathetic than the good guys, which results in a lack of interest for the ones we're supposed to root for. Even though there were moments in which I felt like jumping into the screen and shake both Penny and Orianna for being so stupid, I felt empathy for our final girl during the entire time, because, stupidity aside, she's a nice girl who is trying to overcome her past. I can't deny that she was a very irritating, but at the same time, I could empathize with her and I wanted her to survive and even make the hitchhiker pay.
If you're in the mood for an enjoyable film that doesn't desperately try to shock the audience with a twist, give "Penny Dreadful" a chance. But most of all....brace yourself, put on your seat-belt and don't forget your breathing exercises, because this is going to be one hell of a ride!
