Black Cab

I read the very short synopsis and the story grabbed my attention. So I watched it. All seemed good and the story was going smoothly until it started turning into a bit of a Twin Peaks, extremely confusing in other words!

I was surprised to see Nick Frost cast in a serious/psychopathic role. It was like Kevin James giving a surprising performance in Becky. Both comedians and both did quite well playing serious roles.

Like I said this movie began to go all over the place three-quartres into it. It was very confusing towards the end.

I could not make anything out of it. Was it supposed to be a horror Groundhog Day movie? Was it supposed to be like Ryde?

There was nothing wrong with the performane of the cast. But the story and moreover the ending seriously disappointed me! I suspect the person who posted the first contribution must be one of the producers or someone somehow connected to the movie.

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.

What starts as a would be Dead End/Twilight Zone first half deteriorates into a confusing mess that had us scratching our heads.

The setting is perfect for a horror-old backwoods roads in spooky fog infused England and the story set up is unusual in it's telling. Nic Frost gives a committed performance for a horror though not the usual comic (though there are some comic timings) and it certainty isn't his fault he looks like Jon Hill with a beard.

As a horror it isn't that scary as a thriller it isn't thrilling but if you want a film where you just let the visuals wash over you and not think AT ALL then this is a formulaic and forgettable fare!

British indie horror can sometimes be a bit hit and miss. This one is fairly middle of the road.

Nick Frost plays his part well. Equal parts troubled, scared, creepy and even endearing. He steals the show for me although Synnove Karlsen puts in a decent turn.

The movie plays on classic haunted highway ghost stories and has some creepy moments. Theres an interesting angle about how vulnerable we really are in a cab driven by someone we know nothing about but that isn't really the purpose of the story, although the depth in Frost's performance did make me think.

Shot in the dark and taking place in a single night with a significant proportion inside a London cab, there's some good use of light. A couple of jump scares and some creepy exposition delivered nicely by Frost give the film just enough atmosphere to keep you engaged.

My favourite part was the ending which is a little ambiguous and probably open to some interpretation.

Overall though I thought it was pretty average fare.

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.