Highway to Hell, not to be confused with the 1991 horror film, is a 1990 B-movie directed by auteur Brett McCormick, the mind behind Repligator (1996) and The Abomination (1988). The movie was shot on video and has been given new life by the brilliant minds behind boutique label Visual Vengeance. There’s a level of quality I now expect from them, so does this title live up to that expectation?
Escaped mass murderer Toby Gilmore (Benton Jennings) turns the open desert into a brutal playground of chaos and cruelty. Haunted by a past failure to see him executed, Officer Earl Dent (Richard Harrison) embarks on a relentless manhunt that quickly becomes a deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
Gilmore, however, gains the upper hand by taking a hostage, Fran Tucker (Blue Thompson), an innocent young woman in the wrong place at the worst time. As the pursuit tears across desolate highways and dusty backroads, Dent inches closer, knowing each mile brings them nearer to a violent and inevitable showdown on a highway paved with blood.
What’s evident from watching McCormick’s previous work is his growth as a filmmaker. It’s easy to churn out low-budget films, but he really seems to progress in one aspect or another from film to film. Shot on 16mm and transferred to video, the grain helps capture the Texas landscapes, making them feel almost as important to the film as the story and characters.
The acting is solid, above average for a film like this with a story a bit reminiscent of The Hitcher (1986), but not enough to classify it as a rip-off. There’s enough tension and originality for it to stand on its own and deliver an experience. There’s no disappointment on my end in regard to this release.
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In addition to the SD master from the original tapes, it includes a commentary track, interviews with McCormick, Richard Harrison, Blue Thompson, Tom Fegan, and screenwriter, Gary Kennamer, a bonus film, Red County Fever (1992), which has its own set of special features, plus the usual stickers, reversible artwork, trailers, mini-poster, and more.
Whether you enjoy the movie or not, the packaging alone makes it worth owning a copy for your collection. Highway to Hell ventures into dark territory while cementing Brett McCormick’s place in indie cinema.
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