This film wasn't terrible. It manages to take a very basic "stuck in a car with a monster outside" plot and inject some character into it. But it was by no means great.
The acting was solid. There are some emotional scenes that elevated the film.
The director manages to create some tension and suspense with the atmospheric lighting, camera movements, and shot composition.
The effects on the monster ranged from pretty okay to sometimes looking slightly silly. It's a practical monster instead of CGI, which is appreciated, but it still looks rubber and fake in certain scenes.
The final act of the movie was pretty strong.
The story is very basic. Two people get stranded on a deserted road and a monster from the woods terrorizes them. The film tries to engage the viewer more by making the primary focus of the story about the strained relationship between the mother and daughter and how this terrifying experience brings them together. In some respects this works, but it's not enough to make the story anything more than average at best.
The dialogue was also very shoddy at points and felt unnatural and forced.
Overall, this is a pretty average horror movie. Nothing special or memorable but not bad. Don't expect anything great. Expect a flawed film with an unoriginal plot with some good aspects scattered throughout.
5/10.
