Although they had to shoot on DV and were restricted to a mini budget, Greg Swinson and Ryan
Thiessen managed to deliver an impressive debut film that is definitely a case of "one man´s garbage is another man´s treasure".
This indie film follows five girls on their drive home from a football game. Unfortunately, they decide on taking a short-cut. Finding themselves lost shortly after, they stop at a run-down store to ask for directions. Upon leaving, they hit a SUV, leaving it a headlight short. Instead of waiting for the owner like good citizens, they drive of in a panic. As they speed down dark and unfamiliar backroads – an area known to locals as
The Eyes - they are soon pursued by a lone headlight. As the female driver of the damaged car begins one terrifying assault after another, the girls are doing their best to stay alive and on the road …
Reviewing
“Five across the eyes” is far from easy. The movie as a whole is terrific, but the fact that one actress is so unbelievably baaaad makes all the scenes she is in hard to watch. Being a little crazy or off key is one thing and happens all the time, but some people just do not have any talent for acting whatsoever, and the young lady who plays the driver of the group unfortunately is one of those (supposedly she is a last minute replacement). She acts all crazy and hysterical right from the start, so there is no change in her performance throughout the film. When she sreams your skin crawls, when she talks you´d like to strangle her. It is a pity her character doesn´t die early on. Best to just ignore her – if you can.
“Five across the eyes” is an outstanding example of the gifts the two directors are graced with. Shot for a micro budget, the whole movie takes place in and around a car, and very briefly in another car. With no locations whatsoever, it is truly amazing how interesting the movie is and how much tension and raw energy the directors manage to build up. The camera is constantly moving around, giving you the feeling of being right in the car with the girls and sharing their panic, and the grainy look and spotty lighting further heighten this experience, making the movie seem ultra-realistic. The editing and the special effects where done quite nicely (considering the limited budget, the decision to imply most of the horror instead of showing it was definitely the right one). There is only one complaint: the musical score; it is to loud and distracting, and where is the music coming from? No music at all - just sound – or music out of the car stereo would have been much better. I mean, there is even loud, loud music when the girls try to hide their car behind bushes.
Greg
Swinson and Ryan
Thiessen should get an opportunity to remake this already great movie (one of the best independent horror movies in years) with a bigger budget and without the one awful actress. Maybe one day technology will be advanced enough so they can just replace her with another actress. The movie would be sooo much better still.