Shuttle Respects the Efforts of a Viable Horror Movie Heroine
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In Shuttle the bad guys meet with slashes, stabs and tire-iron pummeling’s at every turn from their intended victim.
Written by The Horror Czar
April 7, 2009
Release: April 7, 2009 (U.S. DVD)
Written and Directed by: Edward Anderson
Starring:
Tony Curran as Driver
Peyton List as Mel
Cameron Goodman as Jules
Cullen Douglas as Andy
Dave Power as Matt
James Snyder as Seth
Mel (Peyton List) and Jules (Cameron Goodman) are just in from a tropical vacation for the girls. The trip was originally to celebrate Mel’s upcoming marriage, but turned into a consolation vacation because the engagement is off. The fiancé, it seems, is a cheating dog.
After dealing with a piece of lost luggage the airport is deserted and at this late hour the two women are stuck with few transportation options. Matt (Dave Powers) and Seth (James Snyder) were on the same flight and have a friend coming to pick them up, but choose instead to hitch a ride on the cut-rate transport bus with the girls in hope of getting some play. Bad choice.
The shuttle ride turns out to be a trip of terror as the driver (Tony Curran) takes the crew to an isolated section of town and orchestrates terrible accidents for the guys while coveting the unsuspecting young women. Trapped in the hapless bus and bound for certain death, the women must find a way to overtake their kidnapper and survive an unspeakable death… or perhaps a fate worse than death. And what about the gutless moron also on the shuttle (Cullen Douglas), quivering and refusing to take any action at all? What about that guy?
Shuttle has several good things going for it. First, the story moves along well from the initial entry into the ill-fated transport, to the beginnings of suspicious activities as the occupants realize something is amiss to the final stages of torturous terror. There is not a monotonous moment as the teens realize their fate, battle with the wisdom of fighting vs. cooperating, and finally decide to make their move.
The performances in this film are outstanding, and move the horrifying drama along in believable fashion. Peyton List as Mel is a particular standout, both in acting prowess and as a horror movie victim that doesn’t take much crap. Not since Nancy Thompson in The Nightmare on Elm Street has a potential horror victim shown such spunk. Sure, she misses opportunities to put down the slasher who invariably rises from apparent death to slash again, but overall Mel’s cunning, ingenuity and sheer vicious will to live is satisfying and elicits cheers from the audience time and time again.
The final strong point of this horror entry is the interesting and unexpected twist in the end. Why have these kids been targeted by the public transportation from hell? You’ll have to watch this one to find out, but believe me… the truth will leave shock waves felt from here to Taiwan.
Shuttle is strong horror with a simple premise that takes on more and more complexity as the devious plot unfolds. Questions or comments about Shuttle? Discuss it on The Ossuary Forums!
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