Purgatory Road (2017) Reviews

• When you let the Writer/Director write his own review...

  marksmith-983532019-02-12

  LOL This film is the greatest masterpiece of all time. Don't believe me? Then you better re-read co-writer/Director Mark Savages' reviews again. Still don't believe me? Then you must have at least half a brain in your head because it's not even close to the superlatives unleashed in the two "user" reviews. It is however, a decent movie, worthy of a watch if you have less than two hours to kill.

• LOW BUDGET HORROR THAT'S DONE HIGHLY WELL

  tkaine32019-02-14

  7/10???????????????????????????? From the gate you know this film isn't a blockbuster but the cinematography and sound is on point the pace is perfect and the acting fits the mood of the film like a glove. The two brothers do a good job acting but Trista Robinson who plays Psycho Mary is outstanding and steals the show. The storyline has enough development throughout to keep your interest growing which was surprising to say the least. Of course there are moments when the budget shows it's hand on some of the action sequences when the amateur extras or characters with small roles look very fake performing a death scene but most do a pretty good job. With a mix of religion, romance, Psychotic behavior, gore, vampirism, mild necrophilia, dark comedy and deformities this hidden gem touches a wide spectrum of entertainment. The movie is a bit playful and doesn't take it's self too seriously which adds to the charm but it stays firm and does everything with poise so you don't feel dumb or disrespected when watching. For most "Purgatory Road" is a good horror film that will catch you off guard and entertain you for a couple hrs. But for indie horror fans this flick will be a real treat. For that crowd I would highly recommend it.

• Not Your Typical Horror Film

  AlanaTilton2019-02-18

  I highly recommend this film. I'm not normally a fan of horror movies but this movie really drew me in and I felt so compelled to see what would happen next. I also very much enjoyed the lead actors especially Gary Cairns as Father Vincent. He took his role to the next level in an outstanding award winning performance. Great actors, a great score, intriguing plot, and fantastic cinematic flare - a must see.

• I couldn't decide between 1 Star or 10 Stars so I gave it 5.

  mudhoney4442019-02-15

  This is a good bad movie. Stiff Acting and dialogue make this an instant cult classic.

• More challenging than many generic mainstream horror films

  KarlFranksMrGeeky2019-04-19

  My spoiler free review for The Bloody Asylum that can be found at WordPress, Mr Geeky blog: Purgatory Road is co-written, produced and directed by Australian film-maker Mark Savage who has been making films for over 30 years, some being produced in the US as this was. The story is a road movie of sorts, involving a priest and his brother "carrying out the work of god." A very assured character driven horror film, solidly written by Tom Parnell and Mark Savage, that explores religion, faith, and the psychological effects of a traumatic event. The atmospheric prologue sets the tone perfectly, with the film being unpredictable, containing genuinely surprising twists and turns, and moments of jet black humour. The real standouts of the film are the three leads played by Gary Cairns II, Luke Albright, and Trista Robinson. All are extremely convincing in their respective roles, bringing depth and complexity to them, so making their characters and the film as a whole engaging. Some of the supporting cast are not as strong actors, but the really impressive lead performances more than compensate for this. The cinematography by Andrew Giannetta is superb, making full use of the brilliant production design by Dustin Brantley, creating a foreboding and at times nightmare dreamlike feel. This is accentuated by the excellent use of original music by Glen Gabriel combined with the sound by Eric David Miller that brings an ominous atmosphere of dread throughout the film. Even though there are moments of violence, blood and gore it is not as extreme as has come to be expected from Unearthed Films. There is less emphasis on the extreme aspects, so making the focus of the film slightly more cerebral, a direction Unearthed Films seem to be moving more towards with some of their recent releases. This will maybe make it a far more accessible film and could bring it to a wider audience of horror fans. Purgatory Road is actually the first film I have seen of Mark Savage and also the three leads, it really makes me eager to want to watch more of their films. For those looking for a horror film that is more challenging than many generic mainstream horror films Purgatory Road is highly recommended and a good place to start if you have never seen an Unearthed Films release.