Road Kill (2010 film)

Plot

Marcus (Xavier Samuel), his best friend Craig (Bobby Morley), and their friends, Liz (Georgina Haig) and Nina (Sophie Lowe) are driving through The Australian outback, when they are hit by a road train. The vehicle comes up behind their SUV and pushes them off the road, breaking Craig's arm. The truck stops some distance up the road, and the group approach it, but the driver is nowhere to be found. Distant gunshots are heard, and a crazed figure in the bush screams and runs towards them. Panicked, they commandeer the truck and drive away. The truck's radio turns on by itself. All four fall asleep, and the truck drives itself off the road and up a hill. The four then wake up. While Nina looks after Craig, Liz claims to see a shack and leaves to search for it. Unable to start the truck, Marcus accompanies Liz.

Nina discovers the truck's fuel tanks are empty, but finds a large pipe underneath the trailer, filled with a mysterious red goo. Craig, tormented by visions of the hellhound Cerberus, finds a key to the trailers. He opens the rearmost trailer and heads in, and the door closes itself behind him. Marcus and Liz have a disagreement over her having slept with Craig. Liz storms off, while Marcus stays on the road. Marcus has a run-in with the truck's driver who shoots himself. Liz finds the shack rundown and abandoned. Inside, she finds unlabeled cans containing the red goo. Thirsty, she drinks some, but quickly runs back after finding bloody remains.

Liz and Nina try to start the truck, but Marcus, now wearing the truck driver's clothes and carrying his gun, trying to destroy it. The women overpower him, tie him up, and resume working on the truck. Craig emerges from the trailer and kills Marcus. The truck starts up again, and Nina tries to back it up. Liz stands at the rear to signal Nina, but eventually leaves to drink more red goo. Nina, unable to see Liz, exits the cab and sees Craig, who tries to lure her into the rear trailer. Hearing Liz crying for help from inside the trailer, she pushes Craig in and locks the door. Eventually, Nina successfully turns the truck around and returns to the main road. She stops the truck and examines the front trailer. To her horror, she discovers it is a slaughter house. Human bodies, including Marcus's, are ground into the red goo that fuels the truck. Shocked, she returns to the cab and keeps driving.

Nina spots a car and signals them for help. The truck radio again turns on by itself; during the distraction, Craig and Liz break into the cab. As the three fight, Craig rams the truck into the car. Liz is thrown from the cab by Nina, who is then knocked out. When Nina awakens, she finds Craig dragging Liz's body to the trailer. He persuades her to help, rambling of a "magnificent opportunity". Nina flees, but Craig hits her head on the side of the cab. He then drags her into the trailer but she manages to defend herself and flees into the bush, with Craig in pursuit. He catches her, but she manages to kill him with the truck driver's gun.

As Nina emerges from the bush, she spots the couple from the wrecked car examining the truck. She runs toward them, screaming warnings. The couple, having been run off the road, hearing distant gunshots, and seeing a crazed, screaming figure running towards them, commandeer the truck and drive off. Nina watches in horror as the cycle repeats itself.

Cast

Production

Road Train was shot in Adelaide, South Australia and Flinders Ranges. Michael Robertson produced the film for ProdigyMovies, Screen Australia and The South Australian Film Corporation.

Release

The film premiered at the Dungog Film Festival. Road Train will be re-titled in the USA as Road Kill. The US premiere had the film as part of the Fangoria Fright Fest on 22 June 2010. It is set to be released by Lightning Entertainment on 6 August 2010 in the United States via DVD, Video on Demand and Digital download. The film was released in the United Kingdom on 30 August 2010.

Promotion

The official trailer was released on 17 November 2009.

Reception

In a negative review, Dread Central wrote, "Despite a promising beginning with potentially interesting characters and a creepy, intimidating concept (a sinister road train), Road Kill squanders its potential by hurling itself off the rails, descending into rank absurdity." The Australian was more positive, comparing it to an early Steven Spielberg film, Duel, and noting the promise of the filmmakers.

Soundtrack

The score was composed by Australian filmmusic artist Rafael May.