Night Fare

Worth watching, but don't expect too much. Two friends on a night out in Paris decide to be jerks and they get their due. Pretty straight forward, except that three quarters in, the film takes a sharp turn and becomes something other than a standard slasher film. Stick with it until the end.

The characters in Night Fare laugh off the above quote at first, but do find out the hard way. Quite a nice surprise, in fact I thought I had it figured out, but it wasn't the case. What seems like old-hat, cliched drama building (centred around two mates, one girl and simmering history). Escalates into a simple minded revenge film of an unstoppable terminator-like cabbie chasing after two fare evaders. Well that's what I first thought, but eventually it opens up to be much more then just that. Taking the viewer down a path of character enlightment in what goes around comes around spin. While I still think there are some plot inconsitanties, especially when we learn the true meaning behind the cabbie's ongoing persuit.... but it's sure was a breakneck ride and when it becomes brutal, it's relentlessly brutal. Great location shooting too.

The premise to this film is undeniably great.

Who wouldn't be scared by a maniac cab driver chasing after you for not paying your night fare... whilst keeping the meter running!

Sadly the film didn't work for me, where humour and intensity could have prevailed, a great opening and first half of the movie was ruined by a second half and ending that literally felt tacked on.

And the director proudly revealed in the Q&A at FrightFest that they in fact changed the film as they were shooting, and made up a new ending on the go. The thing is you can tell that's what they did and it doesn't feel very clever, it just feels random. Not to mention the cardboard cut-out women characters that are only present to look pretty and get kidnapped. Come on, it's 2015!

It didn't work for me, though there is a little to enjoy in the opening. I give the film a 5/10 for effort. But I don't think I'd be interested in watching this again.

If you are wondering if you seen this movie before, you have. Namely 'The Car' or 'Hitcher'. The twist ending almost saves this movie......but no. I expect bad decisions in horror/thriller/drama movies because you need a reason for the movie to exist. In this movie there is NOT one good decision made. For 75% of movie there are the absolutely worst decisions being made by everyone.

The tension is maintained throughout the movie, you do want to know what happens next. The tacked on ending gives a surprise, but it does not explain nor does it fits with what happened before.

Thinkers..stay away. People who just want to see some action on the screen, go ahead.

This is kind of like Joy Ride with French subtitles, only a lot more people die. Then there was some kind of weird animation sequence where our shiftless main characters are given the chance to to redeem themselves. Come to find out the killer cabbie is really some kind of avenging angel. So, yeah...