The Darkness of the Road is legit horror. End of story. With a small cast and an isolated location, this horror story is one built on uniqueness. And it is damned unforgettable, too.
I am not going to lie. I am not going to mince words either. The Darkness of the Road is easily one of my favorite independent features this year. From the very beginning to its haunted ending, this movie does everything right to create a mood and a tone that is both atmospheric and emotional. Think early, early Spielberg and you catch my drift. It’s a haunting sort of horror film, too, and Writer/Director Eduardo Rodriguez (Fright Night 2, El Gringo) ought to be proud of the cast and crew assembled for this ride on the highway to Hell.
And I mean that quite literally, too.
The Darkness of the Road, opening with a scene that is both disturbing and poetic, takes viewers on an unexpected ride as one mother faces the ultimate nightmare. Again, I am not going to toy with you, dear readers, because this independent feature leaves much to be interpreted . . . which is why I dig what it is laying down.
Just study the opening. It’s all there. A woman trapped on a moonless night along a dark, desert highway. Hotel California anyone? And, yes, even the cool wind in her hair part, too. But something is off with the situation. Her daughter is asleep in the back of the car and once this mother gets the car going again, we join her in this nightmare in which her daughter goes missing.
Starring Horror favorite Najarra Townsend (Contracted, Dementia: Part II), Leah Lauren, Gweneth Glover, and Johnny Whitworth (“The 100”, Empire Records), The Darkness of the Road gets its creep factor points earned when Siri stops for supplies at a dump of a gas station along the side of the desert highway. It is here where she winds up getting spooked by some creepy characters in the store and picks up a hitchhiker named Iris (Lauren). 
It is also here - in this sketchy gas station - where her daughter goes missing. Even though they don’t discover her absence until further down the road, there seems to be something fraying at the edges of this reality. You might notice it, too. As the women search for her, a merciless force begins to torment them, unraveling a world of terror they must survive if they are to discover the terrifying truth behind the daughter's disappearance.
This is a movie which jolts you into its own twisted reality. While you might suspect you know where it is heading, the journey to that end point is a winding road where expectations are subverted thanks to the on point cinematography from John DeFazio, who definitely fills the frame with tension, artistry, and a sense of motion that captures the dark spirit of this journey . . . or should I say descent? Either way, hold tight. Some of you aren’t ready for just what this horror film has to say about consequential decisions made in the heat of the moment.
The Darkness of the Road, premieres on DVD and Digital December 14 from Uncork’d Entertainment. Buckle up.
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime: 94 mins
Director: Eduardo Rodriguez
Writer: Eduardo Rodriguez
Cast: Najarra Townsend; Gwyneth Glover; Leah Lauren
Genre: Horror
Tagline: Sometimes horror is unseen.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Iy's just me and my daughter"
Distributor: Uncork'd Entertainment
Official Site:
Release Date: DVD and Digital December 14
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A single mother and her young daughter are driving on a desolate road in a moonless desert. After meeting a young female hitchhiker at a gas station, the mother realizes her daughter is missing. As they search for her, a merciless force begins to torment the two women, unraveling a world of terror they must survive if they are to discover the terrifying truth behind the daughter's disappearance.
